Forward of the 2024 U.S. Girls’s Open, the vary at Lancaster Nation Membership was abuzz about Lexi Thompson.
Dustin Satloff, USGA
LANCASTER, Pa. — It’s the Tuesday of U.S. Girls’s Open week, and the driving vary at Lancaster Nation Membership is packed. The flat hitting space is over 100 yards from side-to-side, however on this present day, each bit of obtainable house is in use.
Because the cool early morning offers solution to a heat and humid afternoon, that theme stays. A band of storms rolled by way of jap Pennsylvania Monday afternoon, so that is the primary full day of prep for all 156 gamers within the area. And as each one among them is aware of, the march towards probably the most coveted title in ladies’s golf begins on the follow tee.
The driving vary isn’t only a refuge for gamers; it’s additionally a gathering place for all types of golf-y personnel — brokers, managers, gear reps, volunteers, swing coaches, caddies, media members. Becoming all of them on the 20,000 sq. ft of turf within the shadows of Lancaster’s clubhouse doesn’t appear attainable, however on this present day, there aren’t any points.
The speak of the vary — and your entire property — is concerning the course. Particularly the check the William Flynn design will current to the 156 women within the area. Nelly Korda, the top-ranked participant on this planet, calls it a “beast.” Two-time main winner Brooke Henderson says it’s going to power gamers to “assume [their] manner round.” Defending champ Allisen Corpuz predicts it will likely be a “nice championship check.”
“The greens have quite a bit occurring,” Lauren Coughlin says. She’s within the midst of her finest season as a professional, and recent off a T3 on the 12 months’s first main. “For those who hit it within the improper spots, they’re brutal.“
It’s unattainable to arrange on the vary for every little thing Lancaster will throw on the gamers this week, however gamers positive will strive. On the far proper facet of the vary, Jin Younger Ko begins her follow routine by unpacking her Foresight GCQuad, geared up to trace all types of information on her each swing. She takes goal on the flagsticks within the entrance of the vary, peppering them with vary balls. Not way back, Ko was the top-ranked golfer on this planet and an murderer with a scoring membership in her hand, as soon as raking in 63 GIRs in a row. She completed twice within the high 5 on the nationwide championship, together with a runner-up end in 2020, however a victory has remained elusive.
In Gee Chun is likely to be the participant on this week’s area who is aware of Lancaster C.C. finest. She gained the U.S. Girls’s Open final time it was contested right here, in 2015, and has adopted the Amish Nation city as her second dwelling. The oldsters right here love her, and she or he loves them proper again, which sounds insignificant however might be fairly necessary when the grandstands refill this weekend — they’re anticipated to be a few of the rowdiest in current reminiscence. When Chun steps onto the vary, a bleacher crammed with followers instantly takes discover.
“We love you In Gee!” one fan yells.
To the left of the bleachers, a gaggle of children waits for autographs, clutching white flags of their palms. Charley Hull walks up puffing a cigarette, stopping to present out her signature whereas the burning heater dangles from her lips.
All of the sudden, everybody’s telephones start to ping with notifications. The whispers observe.
“Did you hear the information?”
After shock retirement, Lexi Thompson opens up on ‘lonely’ battle
Lexi Thompson has simply introduced she’ll be retiring on the finish of the season. Barring a change of coronary heart, this shall be her final U.S. Girls’s Open at simply 29 years outdated.
“I really feel like I’m very content material with the place my life is and the place this resolution will lead me to,” Thompson tells the media later within the afternoon. “I’m simply wanting ahead to what life has in retailer aside from golf.”
Thompson has lengthy been one of the vital well-liked gamers in ladies’s golf. Ask even probably the most informal fan and Thompson’s title is bound to return up. Wins are what has lengthy eluded Lexi, significantly at this event, however the golf gods smile upon a sundown story, and from her perch on the vary Thompson gave the impression to be smiling too.
If there have been ever a time for that “hottest” moniker to be handed on, it’s this 12 months. Korda enters the week taking part in the very best golf of anybody on the planet. She’s gained six tournaments in eight begins and her legend grows every week.
Because the world No. 1 walks onto the follow tee — adopted by her caddie, agent and physio — nobody’s consideration is extra coveted by autograph-seeking followers. Korda does her finest to signal as many flags as attainable, however ultimately, it’s time to get to work.
Korda’s follow routine begins with some half wedges and she or he then works her manner up by way of the bag, ending with driver. All of the whereas, Brett Lederer (the highest lieutenant of her foremost swing coach, Jamie Mulligan) seems to be on.
“I’ve had Jamie or Brett out right here virtually each single week,” Korda says. “Ensuring that my group is taking time for me as nicely and popping out and ensuring that we’re all devoted to one another has type of actually been the factor that has modified this 12 months.”
Because the solar drops decrease and decrease within the sky, the solid of characters adjustments on the vary. Korda is changed by Brooke Henderson, and Hull by Rose Zhang (minus the cigarette). There’s stars and dreamers, established veterans and main championship rookies, all sharing the identical house — and all with the identical objective: successful the U.S. Girls’s Open.
All of it begins on the vary.
