Dame Lydia Ko is five shots off the pace during the opening round of the US Open at Erin Hills after an errant drive proved costly.
Starting at the 10th tee, Ko was even par through the front nine before a bizarre drive at the first tee – a parfive. Her drive went short and wide left into wild rough, leaving her to take a drop from the front of the tee box, eventually leading to a double bogey seven.
She made up some ground with a birdie at the par-four third to get to 1-over before a bogey at the next hole. A third birdie of the day at the par five seventh saw Ko at 1-over again where she finished the round.
Ko would complete the LPGA grand slam if she won the US Open, which would be the fourth of the five majors.
Six players share the lead at 4-under including 2020 US Open winner A Lim Kim. Ko sits in a share of 63rd, a shot back from world No 1 Nelly Korda who carded even par.
The tournament features a $20m prize pool with the winner earning $4m.
Ryan Fox started well at the Memorial Tournament, one of the signature events on the PGA Tour, before he also had an errant drive – coming at the last hole of the day.
Fox was 2-under through seven holes before his first bogey of the day at the par three eighth. He slipped back to even with a second bogey at the 13th hole but quickly bounced back with a birdie at the par four 14th. Birdie chances at the 15th and 16th holes didn’t drop before he scrambled well to save par at the penultimate hole.
Unfortunately for Fox, his drive at the par four 18th found the water, forcing him to take a drop. He did well to limit the damage to a bogey, carding a 72, putting him in a share of 14th.
Ben Griffin, coming off victory at the Charles Schwab Challenge last week, continued his form to lead with a 7-under 65. Collin Morikawa is two back from 5-under. More than half the field carded rounds over par.
The Memorial, at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Muirfield Village Golf Club, is one of the Tour’s signature events – a group of eight tournaments that offer increased prize money and FedEx Cup points. While five of those events do not feature a cut line, the Memorial does, with 50 of the 72 starters moving on to play the weekend rounds. With Fox sitting in 14th he is well inside the cut mark after the first round.
On the DP World Tour’s Austrian Open, Daniel Hillier opened with a 4-under 66 to sit in a share of fourth, three back from leader Marcel Schneider. Hillier had six birdies with a double bogey at the par fourth 15th. Compatriot Kazuma Kobori carded a 4-over 74.
