As we head into the US Women’s Open, Nelly Korda is enjoying a brilliant streak, coming on top in six out of seven LPGA Tour competitions this year, including the prestigious Chevron, the first of the five Majors in women’s golf schedule. The tournament is set to take place at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, a course established by USGA and renowned for being a challenging one.
Korda, 25, has her sights set on her third Major victory. After recently annexing The Chevron, the 2021 US Women’s PGA is now in her impressive trophy collection. But Lancaster promises to test far more than just swings and strokes; it’s a mind game, she warned. “It’s easy to get sucked into the thrill of it and lose track. A few errors can set you back, but ultimately it’s a comprehensive test of your abilities in the game,” she stated.
Leona Maguire, having missed out at The Chevron last month, is keen on making a comeback in the upcoming championship. She is among the three Irish athletes participating, along with Stephanie Meadow – tied at 30th place in Chevron – and the amateur player, Áine Donegan.
The championship is set to take place in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA with a stunning purse of €11 million (with a hefty €1.9m going to the champion). Lancaster Country Club, a challenging 6,583 yards Par 70 course designed by acclaimed American architect William Flynn, is the venue. Known to test the player’s skills off the tee and on approach to heavily bunkered greens, the course last hosted the US Open in 2015 when In Gee Chun emerged victorious.
The tournament features an impressive roster of golfers headlined by the formidable world number one Nelly Korda. Nine of the top-10 players will participate, along with eight previous winners. Allisen Corpuz returns with hopes of defending her title.
Reflecting on her early career, Nelly Korda reminisced about her inaugural experience at the US Open when she was just 14 years old. That was the pivotal moment where she recognised her aspiration to become a professional golfer. She seized great joy in the annual opportunity to contest with foremost global players at prime golfing locations for the most enticing purses.
Regarding Irish involvement, there are three Irish representations: Áine Donegan, the novice from Lahinch Golf Club, qualified for the second consecutive year and will compete alongside So Mi Lee and Yealimi Noh, teeing off at half-past twelve Irish standard time. Concurrently, Leona Maguire is slated to play with Madelene Sagstrom and Patty Tavatanakit, embarking on their round a little after one in the afternoon. Lastly, Stephanie Meadow will engage in the game’s proceedings with Esther Henseleit and Mi Hyang Lee, setting off at half-past seven in the evening.
Regarding wagers, Nelly Korda is leading the market with promising odds due to her commanding tour performances, holding the spot as the popular 10-3 favourite. Her US Solheim Cup partner, Rose Zhang, is considered the second likely contender with odds of 18-1. Hannah Green, who is currently in commendable form, is worthy of an external bet at 25-1. Irish player, Leona Maguire, also draws attention with favourable odds at 50-1.
Viewers with access to Sky Sports Main Event can tune in to the live broadcast starting from 5 pm and then later at half-past ten in the evening.