Six Players Share US Women’s Open Lead After Round One

After the first round of the 80th U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills, a six-way tie for the lead emerged, featuring former champion Kim A-lim of South Korea, fellow South Korean Jin Hee Im, Japan's Rio Takeda, Americans Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin, and Spanish rookie Julia Lopez Ramirez. Kim, the 2020 champion, shot a four-under-par 68 with six birdies and emphasized focusing on her process rather than the leaderboard. Yin, who recently switched to a new putter, also shot 68 and reflected on the course's difficulty, noting the need for precision. Lopez Ramirez impressed with a bogey-free round in her U.S. Women's Open debut despite recovering from an appendectomy earlier this year. The course setup challenged many top players, including world No. 1 Nelly Korda and defending champion Yuka Saso, who shot over par. Overall, Erin Hills presented a demanding yet fair test, with scoring conditions allowing 33 players to finish under par in a highly competitive field.