Chicago (AFP) – Top-ranked Nelly Korda, world number two Jeeno Thitikul, and third-ranked Lydia Ko chase a major title none of them has won when the 80th US Women’s Open tees off Thursday. Defending champion Yuka Saso of Japan seeks her third US Women’s Open crown in five seasons at the par-72, 6,829-yard Erin Hills layout in Erin, Wisconsin.
“Conditions here can be very difficult,” Saso said. “I think it’s going to be a good challenge. It would be nice to win another one. Any other tournament would make me as happy, but if I win again, it would be more special. Winning keeps me motivated.”
Related news
Korda, a two-time major champion, seeks the only major title on home soil that has eluded her. “It’s going to test everyone’s game, very demanding,” Korda said. “The bunkers are not easy. It doesn’t really matter how far you hit it. It’s all about accuracy at the end of the day. It’s firm. It’s fast as well. Even if you think you’ve hit it good, you can never exhale when you see it stop.”
Ill winds could blow away the chances of contenders, Korda warned. “Weather plays a pretty big role out here, especially with no trees to block it,” Korda said. “When it gets windy out here, it’s really going to play with your golf ball.” Korda has never finished better than eighth in 10 prior starts. “It’s the biggest test in the game,” she said. “Definitely has tested me a lot. Not even just our games, our mental as well. I love it.”
Thailand’s Jeeno won her first title of the year three weeks ago at the LPGA Mizuho Americas Open. “Game has been a little bit better ball-striking-wise,” Jeeno said. “But I think what is doing pretty well is the mental side. I’m just more relaxing, like natural, not forcing anything.” The 22-year-old chases her first major victory this week. “I think the major win, it should be really tough for me,” Jeeno said. “What I want to accomplish, just one major, it’s just my process. Definitely going to test my patience. I promise that patience is really the key.”
– ‘A lot of pressure’ – New Zealand’s Ko, the reigning Olympic champion and a three-time major winner, would love to collect one of only two major prizes to have eluded her. “This would be the one that I’d say, ‘Oh, I wish I was a US Women’s Open champion,” Ko said. “It may seem like a large pool of people that are the past champions, but it’s actually quite small, and I would obviously love to be part of that US Women’s Open club.”
Ko, who won her 23rd LPGA title in March at Singapore, says playing on unfamiliar courses with limited practice time makes the US Women’s Open more difficult to win. “There’s a lot of pressure,” she said. “I don’t know what kind of mindset I’m going to have going into this week but I’m really excited. I think you need to have a really good short game and an open mind to how you’re going to play around this golf course, and for the most part, I feel pretty comfortable. But I think this is also the type of golf course you need to hit a lot of quality golf shots and also get a little bit of luck.”
© 2024 AFP
