'Longest Reigning Number 1' Ko Jin-young '7 Over Par in Sea Breeze'

US Women's Open 1R Lower Ranks Facing 'Cut Off' Risk
50% Greens in Regulation, 32 Putts 'Shaky'
Thompson Starts 2 Over Par, Korda 4 Over Par

It is the slump of Ko Jin-young, the "strongest period world No. 1."

On the 6th (local time), Ko Jin-young struggled with a 7-over-par in the first round of the 78th US Women's Open (total prize money $11 million), the third major tournament of the LPGA Tour season, held at Pebble Beach Golf Links (par 72, 6,509 yards) in California, USA, falling to the lower ranks. She is facing the risk of a "cut off" after struggling with chilly weather and constantly changing sea breezes on the first day.

Ko Jin-young is teeing off at the 14th hole during the first round of the US Women's Open.
[Pebble Beach (USA) = AFP·Yonhap News]

Ko Jin-young started from the 10th hole (par 4) in the same group as world No. 2 Nelly Korda and long hitter Lexi Thompson (both from the USA), recording 1 birdie, 6 bogeys, and 1 double bogey. She lost as many as 6 strokes in the front nine, with bogeys on holes 10, 12, 14, and 16, followed by a double bogey on the 17th hole (par 3). In the back nine, after a bogey on the 4th hole (par 4), she made her only birdie on the 6th hole (par 5), but added another bogey on the 8th hole (par 4).

Ko Jin-young's shots were greatly unstable. Her fairway hit rate was only 64%, and her greens in regulation rate was 50%. Her number of putts soared to 32. Her average driving distance was only 229 yards. Thompson, who played alongside Ko, recorded 3 birdies, 3 bogeys, and 1 double bogey for 2-over-par. Korda finished the first round at 4-over-par with 3 birdies, 5 bogeys, and 1 double bogey.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.