Olson makes ace on way to lead in U.S. Women’s Open
Amy Olson got back to under par with one swing, an 8-iron for a hole-in- one on her seventh hole Thursday, and kept right on going until she had a 4-under 67 and a one-shot lead in the U.S. Women’s Open.
On a perfect day, the scores made it perfectly clear that Houston’s Champions Golf Club was primed to provide a stern test.
Olson, a prolific winner at North Dakota State and still winless in seven years on the LPGA Tour, was among only 11 players who broke 70 on the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses. For the first time, two courses are being used for the opening rounds because of the limited daylight by postponing the premier event in women’s golf to December.
Out of 156 players, only 36 were at par or better.
“We had absolutely perfect weather today and 4 under is leading,” Champions member Stacy Lewis said after a 72. “I don’t think scores are going anywhere.”
Moriya Jutanugarn managed to keep bogeys off her card on the Jackrabbit course for a 68, leaving her tied with former Women’s British Open champion Hinako Shibuno (Cypress Creek) and A Lim Kim (Jackrabbit).
British Open winner Sophia Popov was among the group at 69.
None of the top five in the world ranking broke par. Jin Young Ko opened with a 73, while Sei Young Kim had a 72 in what could be a battle for No. 1 this week. Nelly Korda, playing for the first time in two months because of back pain, had only one birdie in her round of 73. Danielle Kang didn’t make any birdies and shot 72.
For one round, the Jackrabbit course was about a stroke easier. Cypress Creek will be used on the weekend.
Most enjoyable for Olson was watching her 8-iron in flight on the par-3 16th hole and tracking it all the way into the hole, her second ace in competition on the LPGA Tour. She had a big crew of family and friends from North Dakota for her previous hole-in- one. She had only a few marshals, two other players and caddies, and a few people from a backyard to provide the cheers on Thursday.
“I had 141 to the flag and the pin was on the right side of the green with the wind kind of coming from from the right,” she said. “So I hit a fade to try to hold the wind, and it landed two paces short of the flag, had some good spin on it and just trickled in. We saw the whole thing, which was fun.”
Megan Khang was the only player to reach 5 under on the day until dropping a few shots on the back nine at Jackrabbit and finishing with a double bogey on the 18th hole when she flubbed a pitch that came back down to her feet. That dropped her to a 70.
Brittany Lincicome, a two-time ANA Inspiration winner, suffered the same fate. She was at 3 under for the day and without a bogey on her card when she missed her tee shot to the left and her approach below the green on the left. Her pitch was weak and back down the slope, and her next pitch was too strong. She made double bogey and shot 70.
“The U.S. Open you can just lose your concentration for 2 seconds and then make a double within like 2 seconds,” Lincicome said. “Super bummed to finish that way. Under par at the U.S. Open is really good, so can’t complain.”
• Two of the next three tournaments will take place at Northern California courses with a long history of men’s U. S. Opens: San Francisco’s Olympic Club (June 2021) and Pebble Beach (June 2023). PEREZ LEADS WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP, FLEETWOOD 2 SHOTS BACK >> Frenchman Victor Perez shot 5-under 67 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the season- ending World Tour Championship in Dubai, with Tommy Fleetwood (69) making the best start of the leading contenders for the Race to Dubai title on the European Tour.