Nelly Korda Starts U.S. Open With a Disastrous 10 on Short Par-3

What a stunning start for the No. 1 player in the world.

Nelly Korda hits out of a fairway bunker on the 17th hole at January's LPGA Drive On Championship at the Bradenton Country Club. / Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune /

Nelly Korda is the No. 1 women's player in the world and entered Thursday's first round of the U.S. Open as the clear favorite to win the prestigious tournament.

Which makes what happened on her third hole of the tournament all the more difficult to understand. Korda stepped up to the 161-yard, par-3 12th hole (she started on the back nine) and carded a 10 after hitting three shots into a creek.

Here's how that disastrous hole played out for Korda, who will now have to make up a lot strokes just to make it to the weekend. Her tee shot cleared the creek, but then everything went wrong:

Nelly Korda just made a TEN on the par-3 12th hole at the U.S. Women's Open. 🫣 pic.twitter.com/OwKJLhV49U

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) May 30, 2024

Nelly Korda just put three balls in the water on the par-3 12th hole to make a 10.

Unbelievable. pic.twitter.com/sBmejXuWd8

— James Colgan (@jamescolgan26) May 30, 2024

Just a stunning start for such a great player. Korda currently sits at 8-over through five holes.