Nelly Korda Reveals Shocking Wait Time On Intimidating 12th After Admitting She Hit 'Really Bad Chips Over And Over Again' During Disastrous 10
The World No.1 put three balls in the water on her way to carding a 10 at the par-3 12th on Thursday - but only after being forced to wait and watch multiple other groups go first
![Nelly Korda stands with one hand on her hip and the other by her mouth next to caddie Jason McDede at the 2024 US Women's Open](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/c2DMJpYzrfxHJduqcKi9CY-1280-80.jpg)
For World No.1, Nelly Korda, a bad day at the office is usually missing out on the top-10 come Sunday night. However, the Florida-born athlete was feeling low after two different versions of the number 10 all but ended her hopes of an acceptable week on Thursday.
First, Korda stunned everyone by carding a 10 on the 161-yard par-3 12th at Lancaster Country Club - dunking three golf balls in the water in uncharacteristic fashion. It was only her third hole of the day and, following an opening bogey, put her eight-over.
The 25-year-old made the turn at 10-over following two further bogeys but managed to stop the metaphorical bleeding with a birdie on Lancaster's third hole - Korda's 12th.
However, consecutive bogeys left Korda on 11-over prior to a couple of late birdies which preceded a closing bogey. The Chevron Championship winner walked off having shot 80 on the par-70 course and was struggling to see any plus points from her day's work in the post-round interview.
Korda said: "I mean, not a lot of positive thoughts, honestly. Just honestly, I just didn't play well today. I didn't hit it good. I found myself in the rough a lot. Making a 10 on a par-3 will definitely not do you any good at a US Open.
"I started off really poorly but played pretty well on the back nine. But overall, yeah, just a bad day in the office."
Korda's 10 was the crux of her nightmare first-round outing, though, especially given that she was only three-over across the other 17 holes - a score which would have left the World No.1 in a tie for 35th heading into Friday.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
While Korda admitted the execution of her shots was not what she had hoped for stood over them, the Bradenton-born golfer briefly shared her group was required to wait almost half an hour on the extremely difficult 12th tee box before eventually being allowed to hit.
Asked what complications were involved in choosing a club on 12, Korda said: "We waited for like 25 to 30 minutes on that tee, too. I was in between a 7-iron and a 6-iron. I just didn't really know what to hit.
"Sometimes it's not really good seeing the girls play in front of you because two of them -- Gaby [Lopez] came up short of the water, and I think Ingrid [Lindblad] went into the water. It was just a tough day.
"I kind of teed it up behind the tee box a little one club length back. I hit a 6-iron and it just kind of penetrated through the wind and it went into the back bunker.
Mel Reid (@melreidgolf) breaks down the tough par 3 12th at Lancaster, where bogey or worse was a common result Thursday at the @USWomensOpen. 🔎📺: Golf Central Live From the #USWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/O1OCPmLapfMay 31, 2024
"I kind of had a leaf under my ball, so when I hit it kind of rocketed through. Couldn't really do anything about that. Yeah, just hit some really bad chips over and over again."
Much to her frustration, Korda would go on to repeat her worst-ever professional round on the LPGA Tour - following up the final round of last season's US Women's Open at the highly-blustery Pebble Beach.
While many expected the woman who has almost robotically claimed six victories in eight starts this year to continue picking her peers apart - even on the toughest courses - Korda pointed out that this dip in form simply points out that she is indeed human.
Nelly Korda opens with 80, tying her highest LPGA score as a professional. She also shot 80 in the final round of last year's U.S. Women's Open.It's just the second round all season in which Nelly has lost strokes to the field tee-to-green.May 30, 2024
Asked what her plan was after the septuple-bogey, Korda said: "Yeah, I just didn't really want to shoot 80, and I just kept making bogeys. My last two rounds in the U.S. Women's Open have not been good. I ended Sunday at Pebble I think shooting 81, and then today I shot 80.
"I'm human. I'm going to have bad days. I played some really solid golf up to this point. Today was just a bad day. That's all I can say."
Korda begins her second round alongside Japan's Nasa Hataoka and America's Megan Khang from the first hole at 1:58pm ET (6:58pm GMT) on Friday.
Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.
-
PGA Tour Pro Flies Himself To Torrey Pines For Genesis Invitational
Maverick McNealy earned his pilot's license in 2023, and he's put that to good use to get to the PGA Tour signature event
By Mike Hall Published
-
Genesis Invitational Honors Tiger Woods' Late Mother With Torrey Pines Flag Tribute
The seventh hole pin flag at Torrey Pines' South Course will be white for the duration of the Genesis Invitational to honor his late mother, Kultida
By Mike Hall Published
-
PIF Saudi Ladies International Prize Money Payout 2025
A field of 112 competes for one of the largest purses of the season at Riyadh Golf Club, and there’s a big change to the format for the 2025 edition
By Mike Hall Published
-
‘It’s A Lose Lose Situation’ - Graeme McDowell Suggests Simple Way To End Slow Play
According to reports, rounds at the LPGA Tour’s Founders Cup never surpassed 4.5 hours, which prompted Graeme McDowell to suggest an easy way to combat slow play
By Matt Cradock Published
-
‘It’s The Impact That We Can Make And Kind Of Disrupt The Golfing World A Little Bit More In A Positive Way To Empower Women’ - Suzann Pettersen Launches New Agency
The two-time Major winner has announced the launch of VOXA, a talent management company 'focused on advancing the impact and value of the world’s best female athletes'
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Yealimi Noh Claims Maiden LPGA Tour Title At Founders Cup
The 23-year-old held off two-time Major winner Jin-Young Ko in an epic final round tussle to secure a maiden LPGA Tour title at the Founders Cup
By Matt Cradock Published
-
'Finally' - Nelly Korda 'Excited' By LPGA Tour's New Slow Play Crackdown
The World No.1 is in support for the LPGA Tour's new policy to fine players money and shots for going over their allotted time
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Defending Champion Lottie Woad Included As Augusta National Women's Amateur 2025 Field Confirmed
Each of the top-50 eligible players have accepted invitations to compete, with the final round taking place at Augusta National the week before the 89th Masters
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
LPGA Tour To Crack Down On Slow Play After Charley Hull And Nelly Korda Comments
The LPGA Tour has announced a number of measures to combat slow play, with the circuit set to enforce more penalties on those who don't follow the guidelines
By Matt Cradock Published
-
Founders Cup Prize Money Payout 2025
The 2025 Founders Cup has moved to a new course and date in the LPGA Tour calendar - it also features a smaller prize purse compared to last time out...
By Jonny Leighfield Published