The 80th edition of the U.S. Women`s Open, women`s professional golf`s oldest major championship and offering its largest prize fund, is set to commence on Thursday at Erin Hills Club in Erin, Wisconsin.
This year marks Erin Hills` debut as the host venue for the Women`s U.S. Open. The course, renowned for its dramatic, undulating fairways and greens shaped by glaciers over centuries, is anticipated to be one of the most challenging tests faced by the world`s top golfers this season.
Two-time major champion Nelly Korda shared her thoughts on Tuesday, stating, “It tests every aspect of your game. It`s extremely demanding, firm, and fast. You only truly relax after a shot when you see it settle. The weather here also significantly impacts shots and putts.”
Will Nelly Korda Find Her Form?
Similar to men`s world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler needing a few months to gain momentum on the PGA Tour this season before winning, including his third major title, women`s world No. 1 Nelly Korda has experienced a comparable start to her LPGA Tour season. In contrast to last year, where she had six wins by this point, Korda is still searching for her first victory after seven tournaments.
“It`s certainly been an interesting year for me,” Korda commented on Tuesday. “There`s been a mix of good and bad outcomes in nearly every event I`ve played. I`ve definitely learned the importance of patience and committing to intense practice when I`m home.”
However, Korda`s performance has not been poor. She has achieved top-25 finishes in all but one of her starts, including a runner-up finish early in the season and tying for fifth in her most recent event. Her statistics remain strong, ranking second on the LPGA Tour in strokes gained: total and off the tee, and ninth in tee to green. She is also in the top 25 for approach shots and putting.
She is aiming for a better outcome at the U.S. Open, where her recent history includes three missed cuts, an eighth-place tie, and a 64th-place tie in her last five appearances. A challenging moment from last year at Lancaster Country Club saw her record a high score early in the first round, leading to a missed cut despite a solid second round.
“There have been many highs and lows,” Korda reflected. “This championship is golf`s ultimate test, and it has pushed me significantly. I enjoy that challenge.”
Korda will play her first two rounds alongside England`s Charley Hull and Lexi Thompson. They are scheduled to tee off from Hole 1 at 2:25 p.m. ET on Thursday and from Hole 10 at 8:40 a.m. on Friday.
“Ultimately, we do this to play challenging courses under demanding conditions, to test all parts of our game,” Korda stated. “This includes not just our technical skills but our mental resilience as well. I`m excited for this week and what it will bring.”
Lydia Ko Pursues Career Grand Slam
Lydia Ko has the opportunity to become the eighth player in LPGA history to complete the career Grand Slam if she secures a victory at the U.S. Women`s Open on her 14th attempt. She has previously recorded two top-10 finishes in this event but missed the cut for the first time last year. At just 27 years old, Ko already boasts three major championship titles: the Evian Championship (2015), the Chevron Championship (2016), and the Women`s British Open (2024).
Ko is paired with defending champion Yuka Saso and amateur Rianne Malixi for the first two rounds. They will begin their rounds from Hole 1 at 8:40 a.m. ET on Thursday and from Hole 10 at 2:25 p.m. on Friday.
Ko mentioned that having goals, such as the Grand Slam, helps maintain motivation and encourages forward progress. “Even if I never win a U.S. Women`s Open,” she added, “it`s not something I expect to dwell on significantly later in life.”
The list of golfers who have won four different majors to complete the career Grand Slam includes Louise Suggs, Mickey Wright, Pat Bradley, Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb, Annika Sorenstam, and Inbee Park. Notably, Karrie Webb is the only player to have won all five different major championships, completing a “super” career Grand Slam. Sweden`s Anna Nordqvist, winner of the Women`s PGA Championship (2009), Evian Championship (2017), and Women`s British Open (2021), also has the chance to complete her career Grand Slam this week.
Yuka Saso`s Quest for a Third Title
Yuka Saso is looking to become just the seventh golfer to win the U.S. Women`s Open three times. Only two players, Betsy Rawls and Mickey Wright, have won the championship four times. Those with three victories are Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Susie Maxwell Berning, Hollis Stacy, and Annika Sorenstam.
Reflecting on her second win last year, Saso stated, “To be called a two-time major champion, and specifically a two-time U.S. Women`s Open champion, is fantastic. It`s a wonderful achievement to have associated with my name, and winning it twice, having dreamt of winning it once, feels even better.”
Saso holds the unique distinction of being the only player to win the Harton S. Semple Trophy while representing two different countries. Her victory in 2021 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, achieved after a playoff against Nasa Hataoka, came while she represented the Philippines, her birthplace. For her 2024 win, where she finished three shots ahead of Hinako Shibuno, Saso played under the flag of Japan, her father`s homeland. She held dual citizenship until 2022, when she chose Japanese citizenship, a requirement under Japanese nationality law before she turned 22.
Exploring the Erin Hills Challenge
Located about 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee, Erin Hills Golf Course is a par-72 layout stretching 6,829 yards. This makes it the second-longest course featured on the LPGA Tour schedule so far this season. Erin Hills previously hosted the 2017 U.S. Open, where Brooks Koepka won with a score of 16-under par.
The course is not expected to play as easily this week, especially if wind becomes a factor. The forecast includes a possibility of thunderstorms and winds gusting between 10 and 20 mph on Friday, while sunny conditions and lighter winds (5 to 10 mph) are predicted for the weekend.
Allisen Corpuz, the champion in 2023, described the course as “really big.” She noted hitting significantly more hybrids and woods into greens during her practice round than she typically would prefer. Corpuz emphasized the universal importance of ball-striking in major championships, adding that it will be especially crucial at Erin Hills given the difficult green surrounds with substantial run-off areas and some narrow fairways.
Erin Hills is notable for having no water hazards, but it features a challenging 132 sand bunkers and thick 3.5-inch fescue rough.
Korda also commented on the course`s demands, stating, “It`s very challenging off the tee because of all the bunkers. The bunkers themselves are difficult; sometimes they`re so small you can`t even find a proper stance. The approach shots and the greens also present significant tests. Overall, it`s a great examination of your entire game.”
The United States Golf Association has alternative tee boxes available to adjust the course length if conditions, such as a lack of wind or wetness, require it. Shannon Rouillard, the USGA`s senior director of championships, stated, “We pay close attention to firmness, speed, wet conditions, and very windy conditions. It`s vital that the challenge remains relevant and appropriate for the conditions we encounter, whether wet or particularly windy.”
Jasper Hawthorne