Erin, Wisconsin – Angel Inn began experimenting with a new putter about a month ago, and decided to use it in tournaments for the first time in the most prestigious event in women’s golf.
The move worked well in Erin Hills’ first round.
Yin and Yang made a 13 1/2 feet birdie putt in par 5 at 4 under 68, 18th place, 2020 Champion A Rim Kim, Ginny IM, Yalimi Noh, Rio Tequeda and Julia Lopez Ramirez
“I knew we would be opening up very quickly, so I wanted to find a putter who would hold the ground and do what I wanted to do,” Ying said. “It just happened to be this putter. I started messing around like I did about a month ago and I’m lucky enough to use it.”
The 26-year-old California native competed in the 13-year-old US Women’s Open at Black Urfran in Kohler, Wisconsin in 2012. She has experienced many ups and downs at the event.
She was second-linked at the country club in Charleston, South Carolina in 2019, but that was the last time she finished in a par at the US Women’s Open. Yin missed out on a cut last year with a pair of 75 generations.
“Is it really good? It’s really, really, really bad, I can’t see the weekend,” he shuddered. “I think I’m just saying a lot about the championship. You have to do your best. There’s nothing mediocre. … You can try to make a good save, but at the end of the day, if you don’t have it, you don’t have it.”
The biggest surprise among the early leaders was Lopez Ramirez. Lopez Ramirez played a bogeyless round in the open debut of a woman in the US.
Lopez Ramirez won consecutive Southeastern Conference titles in Mississippi in 2023 and 2024, but he believed that earlier this year she was actually a case of appendicitis that she believed was the first food poisoning match. Less than three months after the appendectomy, the Spaniard was competing early in the top women’s golf event.
“I feel like I’m back in confidence,” Lopez Ramirez said.
Takada started in 10th place, creating a 9-hole Belledi from No. 14 to No. 4 to No. 4 to No. 4 to No. 4, and supplementing his bogeys with No. 17 and No. 2. I had a bogey-free round with four birdies in five holes from Nos 10-14. Kim, no. I made a 42 1/2-foot birdie putt on 1 and a 32 1/2-foot birdie putt on 3rd.
Chisato Iwai, Nasa Hataoka, Chiara Tamburlini, Youmin Hwang and Yui Kawamoto shot 69. Hinako Shimano, Maja Stark, Pajaree Anannarukarn, Jiwon Jean, Shiho Kuwaki, Gaby Lopez and Mao Saigo were at 70. Saigo won the year’s first major, the Chevron Championship in Texas.
These scores are noteworthy. Only two players finished in the PAR at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania at the US Women’s Open last year, with Yukasaso winning a total of 4 under 276 in four rounds.
No said her low score on a par 72 course for 6,829 yards did not surprise her. Erin Hills’ difficulties are often based on wind strength and were relatively mild early on Thursday. Stronger winds are expected on Friday.
“There are some tee-outs that have been lifted up, there are a lot of par-5s. I think all of them are reachable,” Noh said. “Some par 3s were shorter than usual, so certainly, today’s winds were kept to a minimum and I think it was definitely a good scoring day.”
To show how generous this course is, Brooks Koepka won the 2017 US Open at 16 under in 2017 US Open to tie the tournament record in a rather mild week at Erin Hills.
Nelly Korda, the world’s top-ranked player, won 72 as she chases the first US women’s open title. She has never finished her as much as her eighth tie.
Korda entered this week with a birding 29.17% of the time leading the LPGA Tour, but didn’t make a single birdie until the last hole of the day. This was a better start than last year when he scored 10 on the third hole of the tournament, and missed a cut with 80 cards in the opening round.
“Overall, I can’t complain,” Korda said. “The first day of the opening, it’s all about patience. I am pretty surprised at it so I hope I can bring it into the next few days.”
Second ranked Jeeno Thitikul had the 75th Lydia Ko shot 73.