‘I’m human’: Nelly Korda shoots septuple-bogey on par-three in nightmarish US Women’s Open start

After months of otherworldly form, Nelly Korda proved she is human after all following a horrific start to the 79th US Women’s Open on Thursday.

After months of otherworldly form, Nelly Korda proved she is human after all following a horrific start to the 79th US Women’s Open on Thursday. Chasing a seventh win in eight appearances, the world No. 1 teed off at Pennsylvania’s Lancaster Country Club as the consensus tournament favorite but toiled to an opening round 10-over 80 to leave herself 12 shots off Japanese leader Yuka Saso following the first day. Having opened with a bogey, Korda – who began at the 10th hole – found the water three times en route to a septuple-bogey at the par-three 12th. The American finally cleared the creek guarding the green with her eighth shot, only to two-putt for a total of 10 strokes on the 161-yard hole. “I just didn’t really want to shoot 80, and I just kept making bogeys,” Korda told reporters. “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.” Three birdies helped Korda go even-par through her closing nine holes, but the 25-year-old now faces an uphill battle to make it to the weekend, let alone lift a third major crown.