LANCASTER, Pa. – Asterisk Talley arrived at her first U.S. Women’s Open Championship a little later than most. The 15-year-old got her first look at Lancaster Country Club on Tuesday and, like everyone else, thought it was tough.
“When I was on the first hole, I was just like, these greens are stupid,” said Talley with a wide smile full of braces. “It’s just so hard. The pins they had on the practice rounds, I was like, if they put the pins here, I’m going to start crying.
“I was on the verge on a couple holes with the way I was playing. But I’m not mad with where the pins were today, the way I played the course, so I feel like I’m happy with how I did.”
Talley, whose first name means “little star” in Greek, lit up the microphone on Thursday afternoon after she posted an even-par 70 in the first round that included a triple-bogey. She held a share of the lead for some time and was well aware.
“I look at the leaderboard all the time,” said Talley, who won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball earlier this month. “I feel like some people get scared to look at it, but I don’t really do that.”
While many of the game’s biggest stars struggled mightily in the opening round of the 79th U.S. Women’s Open, a number of amateurs shined. Recent NCAA champion Adela Cernousek of France is tied for second, a shot off the lead, after carding a 1-under 69 while reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur champion Megan Schofill shot 70 to take a share of fifth.
Yuka Saso shot 68 to lead at 2 under, a shot ahead of Cernousek as well as Andrea Lee and Wichanee Meechai. Those are the only four players in red numbers after 36 holes. There are four amateurs near the top of the leaderboard, including USC’s Catherine Park.
“I was very nervous on the first tee,” said Texas A&M’s Cernousek. “First round of a major, so very nervous.”
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In a way, the round must have felt like it started all over again on the par-3 12th after Cernousek’s group had to wait 45 minutes after World No. 1 Nelly Korda made a 10 on the challenging par 3.
“It’s just going to be about who does hard better,” Texas A&M coach Gerrod Chadwell told her.
Cernousek was in between clubs on that hole and opted to hit a 7-iron. She two-putted from the back fringe, and Chadwell said that really settled her for the day.
The top four amateurs on the leaderboard after round one of the U.S. Women's Open are a combined 1-under-par.
The top four in the Rolex Rankings in the field were a combined 21-over.
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGolf) May 31, 2024
A long hitter who manages her emotions well, Chadwell said the Frenchwoman has matured greatly since she showed up to campus with lightweight graphite shafts. Chadwell, who is married to LPGA player Stacy Lewis, said they brought Cernousek over to the house often during the Christmas holidays that freshman year.
“We’d call her fish because that’s what freshmen are called (at A&M), but she literally was a fish out of water,” said Chadwell.
Cernousek lives about 50 yards from the Aggies’ practice facility, and she’s there every single day. On the road, she putts at night in the hotel room.
Earlier this spring at the Chevron Collegiate, Cernousek had the overnight lead at the Golf Club of Houston but struggled with three-putts in the final round and dropped down the leaderboard. When they got back to campus, everyone peeled out of the parking lot except an emotional Cernousek, who slammed down her golf bag and putted for an hour and a half.
Lewis happened to drop by the facility and told Cernousek that she did the same thing in college at Arkansas.
“This is what’s going to make you great,” Lewis told her.
