Leona Maguire of Ireland plays her shot from the 14th tee during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills Golf Course in Erin, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
Six women have tied for the lead at four under par after the first round of the US Women’s Open at Erin Hills.
Yealimi Noh, Angel Yin, 2020 champion A Lim Kim, Jinhee Im, Julia Lopez Ramirez and Rio Takeda shared the top spot. while Ireland’s Leona Maguire sits eight shots back in a tie for 105th after a disappointing opening 76.
The Cavan golfer’s round began to unravel at the par-5 14th (her 5th) where she found sand before carding a double-bogey 7. Further bogeys followed on the 17th and second before she regained a shot on the third but this was given away again with a further bogey on her penultimate hole.
Lopez Rameriz had a bogey-free round at her first US Women’s Open, while Takeda made six birdies over a nine-hole stretch.
Noh closed out the day on a high note, birdieing the par-five 18th to secure her share of the lead.
“US Opens are always very grand, and coming in, Erin Hills definitely lived up to the expectations. Everything’s big – the fairways, the walks, need big drives, but it’s an incredible golf course,” she told LPGA.
“It was a very solid day. Hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens. My putting was good around the greens. I didn’t chip around too much, so that made it more simple.”
Top-ranked player Nelly Korda, chasing her first US Women’s Open title, finished the day on 72 to tie for eighth.
“First day of the US Open, it’s all about patience,” Korda told a press conference at the end of the first round.
“I’m striking it pretty well, so hopefully I can carry that into the next couple days.”
World number two Jeeno Thitikul carded a 75, while third seed Lydia Ko shot 73.
