The U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club featured a particularly challenging hole, the 12th, a 161-yard par-3 that proved to be the most punishing for many players. During the first round, a third of the field ended up in the creek in front of the green, resulting in numerous double bogeys and high scores. Nelly Korda’s septuple-bogey 10 on the hole stood out as one of the highest scores recorded during the tournament.
In the second round, the 12th continued to cause trouble for players, with more double bogeys and triples than any other hole on the course. The difficulty of the hole was attributed to the flag’s proximity to the false front that fed into the water. The USGA made adjustments for the second round by placing the flag in a less threatening position to reduce the number of disastrous scores.
Players, like Nelly Korda, had expressed concerns about the challenges posed by the 12th hole even before the tournament began. The sloped green, combined with the dangers of hitting a chip shot too hard or too short, made it a difficult hole to navigate. Mel Reid, the 2020 ShopRite LPGA Classic winner, demonstrated the challenges of chipping onto the green after ending up in the creek during a Golf Channel telecast.
While some players struggled on the 12th, others, like Andrea Lee, managed to birdie the hole, gaining an advantage over the field. Lee’s success on the 12th, despite the challenging conditions, showed that it was possible to score well on the hole with the right strategy and execution. However, not all players were able to avoid trouble, as demonstrated by defending champion Allisen Corpuz’s triple bogey on the hole.
As the tournament progressed, staying in contention required navigating the 12th without succumbing to high scores. Players like Yuka Saso and Minjee Lee, who managed to play the hole well, found themselves at the top of the leaderboard after 36 holes. The 12th hole at Lancaster Country Club proved to be a key determinant of success for players vying for the championship title.
