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US Women’s Open leaderboard
-2 Y Saso (Jpn); -1 A Lee (US), W Meechai (Tha), A Cernousek (Fra); E A Talley (US), Y Yoshida (Jpn), J Shin (Kor), Minjee Lee (Aus), C Park (US), P Babnik (Slo), A Foersterling (Ger), Sei-Young Kim (Kor), M Schofill (US), C Iwai (Jpn)
Selected others: +2 J Ewart (Eng); +3 L Maguire (Ire); +5 C Hull (Eng); +7 G Hall (Eng), G Dryburgh (Sco), L Woad (Eng)
World number one Nelly Korda had an opening round to forget at the US Women’s Open as she carded 10-over-par 80 including a septuple-bogey on the 12th hole.
The American, 25, started the day as the overwhelming favourite to win her first US Open at Lancaster Country Club in Philadelphia after winning six of her past seven tournaments.
Japan’s Yuka Saso, 22, leads by one shot after firing a two-under 68 – one of just four players to better par on the first day.
French amateur Adela Cernousek, American Andrea Lee and Thailand’s Wichanee Meechai all shot a one-under 69.
Korda’s challenge was derailed by her first three holes, which began on the back nine, as she made a bogey at the 10th before finding water three times on the 161-yard 12th.
Her tee shot sailed over the green into a bunker and her recovery rolled into a creek fronting the green.
She found water twice more after penalty drops before finally managing to hit the green with her chip and two-putting for a 10.
“I just didn’t really want to shoot 80 and I just kept making bogeys,” Korda said. “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, who won this year’s first major at the Chevron Championship, is near the bottom of the leaderboard on 10 over on a day when only a handful of golfers managed par or better.
England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff is two over, while Ireland’s Leona Maguire finished a shot behind on 73.
England’s Charley Hull is five over while Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh, England’s Georgia Hall and English amateur Lottie Woad – winner of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur – are all seven over.