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The LPGA Tour headed to the Olympic Club Lake Course in San Francisco, California for the U.S. Women’s Open. The event, which began in 1946, is the longest-running tournament on the LPGA Tour. The 72-hole event was played on a par 71 layout of 6456 yards for a purse of $5.5 million and 625 points towards the Race to the CME Globe. Last year, A. Lim Kim birdied the final three holes on Champions Golf Club’s Cypress Creek Course for her first major championship.

First round

Mel Reid got off to a quick start with three straight birdies from holes 7 through 10. She finished with a round of 67 and was tied with 17-year-old amateur Megha Ganne, who recorded six birdies and two bogeys. A shot off the lead were Megan Khang, Angel Yin, and Brooke Henderson. Khang birdied three of the first four holes, while Yin had an eagle-birdie finish to get into the mix.

Two shots behind the lead were Lexi Thompson, who got into the mix with birdies on 13 through 15, Shanshan Feng, and 19-year-old Yuka Saso. A large group of seven were three shots off the pace, including Jin Young Ko, Jeongeun Lee6, and Jennifer Kupcho. Lydia Ko was fighting for the top of the leaderboard before a bogey, double bogey, and bogey and 13, 14, and 16 left her at even. Other big numbers lurking four shots back include Inbee Park, Ariya Jutanugarn, and Ally Ewing.

Among those at one-over par were Celine Boutier, Stacy Lewis, Gaby Lopez, Jessica Korda, and Lizette Salas. Danielle Kang, one of the favorites coming in, was among the leaders until going five-over par on 16 and 17. She finished at two-over, along with Minjee Lee and Cristie Kerr.

Other notables included Sie Young Kim and Michele Wie West (three-over), Paula Creamer and Patty Tavatanakit (four-over), Sophia Popov (five-over), Nelly Korda (seven-over), and A. Lim Kim (eight-over).

Second Round

Yuka Saso continued to open eyes, recording six birdies and two bogeys for a round of 67. She finished at six-under par and held a one-shot lead over Jeongeun Lee6, who birdied the last four holes. Megha Ganne continued to stay in the mix, along with Magan Khang, just two shots behind. After a rough start of three bogeys, Shanshan Feng recovered with four birdies and a score of three-under through 36 holes.

Four shots off the pace were Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Mel Reid, who held the lead at five-under before bogeying three of the last five holes. Ariya Jutanugarn had an up and down round of six birdies and five bogeys, but was still in striking distance at one-under along with Nasa Hataoka and amateur Maja Stark. The course was difficult on day two with only 11 players under par at the halfway point.

Danielle Kang recovered with a 69 to get back to even and Jennifer Kupcho, aided by an ace on the par-3 13th, was at one-over par. Sei Youn Kim, 18-year-old Lucy Li, Stacy Lewis, and Jin Young Ko all sat at two-over after 36 holes. Patty Tavatanakit, Ally Ewing, Jessica Korda, Minjee Lee, and Lydia Ko all made the cut, but needed great weekend play to be a factor. Brooke Henderson, another favorite coming in, failed to get anything going and finished with a 78 and four-over for the tournament. Rachel Heck, 2021 NCAA individual champion, was one of four amateurs to make the cut.

Notables who missed the cut were Moriya Jutanugarn, Sophia Popov, Angela Stanford, Michele Wie West,  A. Lim Kim, and Paula Creamer.

Third Round

Olympic Club Lake Course showed its teeth on Saturday, as only six players finished under par and only seven players under par through 54 holes. One of them was Lexi Thompson, who shot the round of the day of 66. She held a one-shot lead over Yuka Saso, who recorded four birdies and four bogeys on the day. Megha Ganne continued to impress at age 17 with a 72. She was tied for third with Jeongeun Lee6.

Shanshan Feng continued to hold sole possession of 5th at two-under par. Megan Khang was a shot further back, after lurking right behind the leaders before a four-bogey stretch left her at even par. Also at even was Hall of Famer Inbee Park.

Angel Yin had the second-best round of the day at 67 and was one-over for the championship, along with Hyo Joo Kim and Maja Stark. Still in the conversation but needed a great round on Sunday were Brooke Henderson, Ariya Jutanugarn, and Lucy Li, all at two-over par. Mel Reid shot a 78, despite an eagle two, due to three double bogeys.

Other notables include Jin Young Ko, So Yeon Ryu, and Se Young Kim (all three-over), Jennifer Kupcho (five-over), Jessica Korda, Ally Ewing, Patty Tavatanakit (seven-over), and Lydia Ko and Stacy Lewis (nine-over)

Final Round

Through her first eight holes, Lexi Thompson appeared well on her way to ending the United States’ drought in women’s major championship. However, a five-shot lead dwindled to a tie heading into the 18th after a double bogey on 11, bogey on 14, and bogey on 17. After he second shot on the par-4 18th landed short in the bunker, Thompson needed a par save to enter a playoff, but her putt came up short. She finished at three-under par.

Nasa Hataoka and Yuka Saso both finished at four-under and Hataoka entered with three birdies on the final five holes. In fact, she narrowly missed a birdie to win on the 18th. Megan Khang and Shanshan Feng finished at two-under, while Angel Yin, who got into contention after an eagle on the 7th, fell to even after a double bogey on 13 and bogey on 16. Xiyu Lin moved into a tie for 7th with Ariya Jutanugarn, Inbee Park, Jin Young Ko, and Brooke Henderson after a round of 67.

Jeongeun Lee6 was in the mix but struggled to a round of 76 and finished tied for 12th at two-over. Megha Ganne secured low amateur with a birdie on 17 and par on 18 to finish at three-over par. Notables include Lucy Li (three-over), Hyo Joo Kim (five-over), So Yeon Ryu (six-over), Patty Tavatanakit (eight-over), Jessica Korda (nine-over), Lydia Ko and Danielle Kang (10-over), and Ally Ewing (11-over).

In the first of the two-hole playoff, Nasa Hataoka narrowly missed a birdie and Yuka Saso knocked in a two-footer for par. On the second hole, the 314-yard par 4 18th, Hataoka pulled her drive into the rough, while Saso split the fairway. Hataoka’s approach was nearly pin high, just into the rough right of the flag. Saso’s approach left her with a 15-to-20-foot putt. After a two-putt par by Hataoka, Saso knocked her birdie putt seven-feet past for a tricky putt to extend the playoff. She knocked it in the center. IN the first hole of sudden death, Hataoka missed a long birdie effort, giving Saso a putt to win from about 10 feet. She calmly drained the putt for her first LPGA Tour win and tied Inbee Park as the youngest to win a Women’s U.S. Open.

Coming Up

The LPGA Tour heads to the Lake Merced Golf Club in Daly City, California for the LPGA Mediheal Championship. The 72-hole event is played on a par 72 layout of 6551 yards. Sei Young Kim defeated Bronte Law and Jeongeun Lee6 in the second year of this event in 2019 for her eighth LPGA Tour victory.