“Security Guard Walked Up to Her…”: Unfortunate Nelly Korda Update From Lancaster Country Club Sees Light

Disaster struck Nelly Korda quite early on Thursday. Only on her second hole of the day, the par-3 12th, Korda carded a 10. Yes, a septuple bogey, her worst score in a hole in any major. Korda had played 8,696, holes before her first 10. Just how bad was it? Korda hooked her tee shot to the sand bunker on the 161-yard 12th that was played as the toughest hole on Thursday. Her recovery shot landed her in fresh trouble as the ball traveled past the pin to the creek.

After taking a drop on the other side, Korda’s ball twice traveled back to the water after hitting the downslope of the putting surface. On top of that, Nelly Korda missed her putt from 11 feet for a nine. The two-time Major champion picked two further bogeys on the par-4, 15th, and the par-3, 17th. She was visibly shaken at the turn. Gabby Herzig of the Athletic reported, “Nelly really looking out of sorts. She stopped in between the 17th and 18th holes, took off her visor, and just stared at the ground. A security guard walked up to her to ask if she’s OK. Just so tough to see from the world No. 1.”

At Lancaster Country Club, expectations were sky-high from the two-time Major champion. Nelly Korda has won six times in her last seven starts at the LPGA Tour. She is the first golfer in this century to net six silvers before June. However, the entire fiasco on the 12th seemed to have taken a toll on the reigning world no. 1, as the scorecard only got more severe. But Korda is not the only victim at Lancaster Country Club.

Lancaster has been cruel to not just Nelly Korda

To put things into perspective, only five players are under par at the moment the report went to publication. Korda’s playing mate, Nasa Hataoka, is 2-over through 7th. Whereas, Korda’s best friend Megan Khang is 5-over through eighth. The 12th hole itself has witnessed 15 double-bogeys and a nine from Colombian golfer, Mariajo Uribe. The last time, Lancaster played host to U.S. Women’s Open, 8-under was enough for Chun In-gee, to lift the silverware. The course plays exactly 100 yards longer this year.

Expectedly, the cutline will be lower as the Bent Grass fairways will only prove to be a tougher challenge as the day progresses. Nevertheless, Nelly Korda’s main goal is to plug the holes at this point. The 25-year-old will look to make the cut the next day. No player since Inbee Park in 2016 has won the US Women’s Open as a reigning world no. 1. Korda’s hopes for change just got a little bit slimmer.