A US Open is widely considered to be the toughest test in golf - men's or women's side - with under-par scores often earning players a chance at glory come Sunday.
In the opening round of the 2024 US Women's Open, there were only four players out of 155 who managed to complete 18 holes at Lancaster Country Club in under 70 shots. Four.
The leader, 2021 champion, Yuka Saso, finished on two-under thanks to a remarkable five birdies throughout while French amateur Adela Cernousek sits just a shot back after a brilliant Thursday.
On the other end of the scale, 20 players - including World No.1 Nelly Korda - shot 80 or worse on the their first day of competitive action. Lancaster ended up playing more than 5 strokes over par on average in round one, with 10 of the holes seeing a worst score of triple-bogey and two holes averaging under par.
But no matter the total score on Thursday, there was one hole in particular which was claiming victims left, right, and centre. And Korda was the most prominent name to have her round left in ruin by the par-3 12th.
Measuring just 161 yards but playing into a brisk north-west wind, many players were left pulling a six, seven, or eight-iron out of the bag as they aimed for a green which was just 21 yards deep.
Guarded at the front by a hungry stream and protected at the back by a full rainbow of open bunkers, the average score on the 12th after day one was 3.801. It ranked as the toughest hole on the course - a full .3 shots harder than the next most difficult, the par-4 10th.
According to an excellent segment by Mel Reid - who was working for Golf Channel at Lancaster Country Club - just 52% of the field found the green off the tee. 10 players went on to pick up almost two shots on the field by making birdie.
On the flip side, 52 golf balls ended up in the water at the front - three of which were from a sleeve owned by Korda. The Chevron Championship holder ended up with a disastrous 10 as a result of her early-round meltdown.
Mel Reid (@melreidgolf) breaks down the tough par 3 12th at Lancaster, where bogey or worse was a common result Thursday at the @USWomensOpen. 🔎📺: Golf Central Live From the #USWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/O1OCPmLapfMay 31, 2024
But she was far from alone. Although 10 was the worst score of the day, there were 12 other players who walked off the 12th green with a score of triple-bogey or worse. 32 golfers marked down a double on their scorecard. 77 players made par while 24 others took a bogey and moved on.
Also per Reid, there were 31 doubles on the 12th hole all week when the US Women's Open was last hosted by Lancaster CC in 2015 - a figure that has already been surpassed in one fell swoop nine years later.
Given the field's difficulties in combatting the relatively short par 3, it would not be a surprise to see more nightmares like Korda endured over the course of the remaining three days.
More triples or worse (13) than birdies (9)48 balls in the waterAveraging nearly 3.8 strokes for the day https://t.co/Hi8XrYqHYtMay 30, 2024
