U.S. Girls’s Open: Rose Zhang, Lexi Thompson battle, be part of Nelly Korda

Lancaster Nation Membership challenged all the U.S. Girls’s Open subject on Thursday, producing a scoring common of 75.21, greater than 5 pictures over par.

Because of this, solely 4 gamers carded under-par rounds on day one, led by Yuka Saso, who shot a 2-under 68.

However a few of the most notable LPGA gamers struggled and carded eye-popping scores.

World No. 1 Nelly Korda shot a 10-over 80. She recorded a stunning 10 on the twelfth, probably the most difficult gap in the course of the first spherical. Gamers averaged 3.8 strokes on this 161-yard par-3, which yielded solely 10 birdies. In the meantime, the twelfth produced 45 double bogeys or worse, which included Korda.

The twelfth clearly rattled the top-ranked participant, however she managed to make three birdies and three bogeys on her again 9. But, she nonetheless by no means fairly acquired it collectively.

She was not the one celebrity to endure from the carnage, nonetheless.

Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang additionally struggled. Zhang carded a 9-over 79, whereas Thompson signed for an 8-over 78.

Thompson hit simply 7-of-14 fairways and 10-of-18 greens. She additionally misplaced 2.56 pictures in strokes gained across the greens, which ranked 147th out of 156 girls.

But, she birdied the 12, which was certainly one of her solely vibrant moments. She would make only one birdie, including six bogeys and a triple.

It was not her day on the golf course, and nothing appeared to go proper for her.

The identical could possibly be mentioned for Zhang, the younger phenom who headed into this occasion contemporary off a win on the Cognizant Founder’s Cup.

Photograph by Sarah Stier/Getty Photos

Zhang struggled together with her flat stick. She ranked 144th within the subject in strokes gained placing, shedding 2.7 pictures. To make issues worse, the 21-year-old solely hit 8-of-18 greens in regulation and 7-of-14 fairways.

Granted, she made par on probably the most difficult gap, however the 2-time LPGA winner solely recorded one birdie throughout her spherical. Zhang tallied seven bogeys and even made a double-bogey on the par-5 seventh.

Korda, Thompson, and Zhang have all however eradicated themselves from rivalry on the U.S. Girls’s Open. This observe made the very best gamers battle, which additionally occurred final yr at Pebble Seashore. Hopefully, they may see enchancment throughout Friday’s spherical and make the weekend.

Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. For extra golf protection, be sure you observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You can even observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.