RIANNE Malixi may have to summon the best golf of her life if she hopes to make the cut in the U.S. Women’s Open after a hugely disappointing first round where she fired 79, seven over par at Erin Hills Golf Club.
It was not the kind of opening round she had hoped for but it could be understandable, considering that she hasn’t had a competitive round for nearly two months after withdrawing from two big events because of an injured back.
Malixi birdied her opening hole, the 10th, but the rest of the round was just nightmare. She posted two double bogeys and four bogeys and she was just not into it and currently sits in a share of 140th place.
Yuka Saso, the Fil-Japanese defending champion had a round that was better, but only by a bit. She shot a 74 on a two-birdie, four-bogey outing and a good round tomorrow would keep her title-retention bid alive.
She is tied for 78th place with the Top 60 and ties advancing to the weekend.
Not playing for the weekend is Dottie Ardina who had a round that she would rather not remember. She had eight bogeys, one double bogey and one birdie for her round of 81 which put her in a tie for 153 in the 155-field tournament.
There is no respite from the challenge posed by the course with its long rough, undulating greens and huge areas that collect balls that don’t hit the correct side of the greens.
No one was able to seize the lead by the throat and after one round, there was a logjam at the top with Rio Takeda, Yealimi Noh, Jinhee Im, Angel Yin, Julia Lopez Ramirez and 2020 champion A Lim Kim sharing the lead at four-under-par 68.
Nelly Korda opens with 72
And if this was not enough, more than 50 players are within four strokes of the leaders, assuring a fierce fight for the championship in the next three rounds.
Christo Iwai, Nasa Hataoka, Chiara Tamburlini, Youmin Hwang and Yui Kawamoto are one stroke off the lead at 69 while Rolex Rankings No. 1 Nelly Korda is at 72.
Lydia Ko, who played alongside Malixi and Saso, shot a 73, the same score posted by Minjee Lee, Jin Young Ko and Lexi Thompson.
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