The third round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills ended with a decidedly international flair at the top of the leader board. But Nelly Korda and Sarah Schmelzel were notable exceptions, keeping alive the chances of an American claiming the most prestigious title in women’s golf.
Korda staged a furious rally over the final five holes to recover from some early travails and fire a 1-over-par 73 for a 54-hole score of 4-under 212, three shots behind leader Maja Stark of Sweden. Spain’s Julia Lopez Ramirez carded the low round of the day with a 4-under 68 to land in second place; she’s one shot ahead of the Japanese trio of Rio Takeda, Hinako Shibuno and 36-hole leader Mao Saigo.
The final stroke of Korda’s round was a birdie putt at the 18th hole that spun around almost the entire cup before falling, eliciting a sigh of relief and a smile from the world’s top-ranked player, who is seeking her first U.S. Open title. The 26-year-old’s most recent victory on the LPGA Tour came in November; it was her seventh during a record-setting 2024.
“It’s just about having the right mindset,” she said. “This week, it’s like, ‘Okay, you’re going to make stupid mistakes as well because it’s a golf course [where] you may not hit it in the right spot and it’ll [roll] down 40 feet.’ You just know your mentality is you’re going to make mistakes but you can also bounce back here.”
