By: Max Bechtoldt
The 2024 U.S. Women’s Open kicks off tomorrow from Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Here are the groups to watch for the first two rounds (all times est. and for Thursday)
MORNING
7:51 – Back Nine – Linn Grant, Jennifer Kupcho, Lottie Woad (a)
This group, which likely will only be in the coverage for a short time, features the first and the most recent Augusta National Women’s Amateur winners, Jennifer Kupcho and Lottie Woad. Major champion Kupcho has been bouncing back well over the last few months, while Linn Grant is trying to get her season kick-started, as she only has one top 10 this season.
8:02 – Front Nine – Allisen Corpuz, Megan Schofill (a), Ruoning Yin
Last year’s U.S. Women’s Open champion Corpuz and last year’s U.S. Women’s Amatuer champion Schofill will be teeing it up with Ruoning Yin, who will defend her major championship next month. Neither Yin or Corpuz are having the seasons they hoped for after breaking out in 2023.
8:13 – Back Nine – Nasa Hataoka, Nelly Korda, Megan Khang
Nelly Korda will have a few holes in Thursday coverage to tune into when she tees it up with two of the best players on tour who have not yet won a major. Korda will be looking for her seventh LPGA Tour title of the season and second major championship. Megan Khang is also looking for a strong finish, in order to help secure a spot in the Olympics.
8:24 – Back Nine – Charley Hull, Jin Young Ko, Lydia Ko
This group features two of the best of their generation in Jin Young Ko and Lydia Ko, both two-time major champions trying to break a drought. Jin Young hasn’t won a major since 2019, while Lydia has been waiting since 2016. With a win, Lydia Ko would clinch a spot in the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame. Charley Hull placed second in the U.S. Women’s Open in 2024, one of many runner-up finishes on the season for her.
AFTERNOON
1:47 – Front Nine – Celine Boutier, Atthaya Thitikul, Amy Yang
Three players from 2023 that made a big impact, looking to gain momentum on the season. Boutier was the runner-up for player of the year, Thitikul won the Vare Trophy and Yang won the CME Group Tour Championship. Thitikul has played well since returning from injury, especially in the early rounds, but Boutier and Yang are looking for any level of momentum.
1:58 – Front Nine – Minjee Lee, Lexi Thompson, Rose Zhang
Thompson broke the golf internet on Tuesday, with the shocking news of her impending retirement becoming one of the biggest stories of the year. She’ll tee it up with Rose Zhang, who is playing for the first time since winning at the Founders Cup. Minjee Lee has had a disappointing season, but the two-time major winner has had decent results the last two times she has teed it up.
2:09 – Front Nine – Hannah Green, Brooke Henderson, Yuka Saso
The biggest group who will be entirely in the coverage Thursday has two of the top five in the CME Standings in Green and Henderson. While Green has been a big story all year with her two wins plus a runner-up, Henderson has quietly been very consistent. Saso, the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open champion, is still very much in play to make the Japan Olympic team with a great finish.
