Leona Maguire’s charge for the cut line at the US Women’s Open came up shy as a triple bogey on her eleventh hole erased all of her good work on the front nine at Erin Hills.
Maguire slumped to an opening four-over 76 on Thursday but she dusted herself down and came roaring out of the traps on Friday, rolling in three birdies in a five hole stretch on the third, fourth and seventh holes.
The Cavan native was then on the cut mark at one-over but a triple bogey seven on the par-4 11th all but ended her chances and she couldn’t regain her spark despite closing with a more than respectable seven pars for a level-par 72.
Her four-over total left her in 91st place with the cut falling at one-over and she will have to lick the wounds of a third straight missed cut this season and a fifth missed cut in seven US Women’s Open appearances.
Meanwhile, at the summit, world number one Nelly Korda is back in business at her home open as a career best round of 67 propelled her into contention at five-under.
Korda doesn’t have the best US Women’s Open record but she took advantage of a pleasant morning forecast, rolling in seven birdies including three birdies in four holes on her back nine, and two bogeys.
It leaves the two-time major winner in a share of second place with Hinako Shibuno, Sarah Schmelzel, Maja Stark, Yealimi Noh and A Lim Kim, three shots behind Mao Saigoo twelve months after missing the cut.
“Yeah, definitely felt a little bit more confident on the putting green today,” said Korda, who is looking for her third major title.
“Honestly, I was hitting really good putts yesterday. I was hitting it exactly where I wanted to and they just weren’t falling. My distance control has been really good on the putting green, so hopefully I can keep trending in the right direction heading into the weekend.”
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