Chella Choi Posts 9-hole Record 29 at US Women’s Open

The 24-year-old from Daegu made six birdies on the front side at Lancaster Country Club for a 29, the lowest nine-hole score in US Women’s Open history, but missed a 3-foot par putt at 18 to match the tournament’s record-low round of 63 by Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson in 1994.

Chella Choi came a fraction of an inch from making a lot of history Saturday at the U.S. Women’s Open.

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“I made birdie a lot today”, Choi said.

Choi exchanged an Odyssey No. 5 putter for a No. 1.

“I saw the score, I made 29, so I really had confidence”, Choi said. She hit the fairway with her drive and hit her approach to 30 feet, setting up a birdie for a 62, but she three-putted from there.

Lancaster has offered a much different atmosphere, and the players have loved it. Everyone is a little bit of a ham.

Choi’s historic round also was done when the greens were in their best condition. “I didn’t know that”.

South Korea’s Chella Choi was the big improver on day three, her round of 64 moving her into sixth.

Ko, who is searching for her first victory in a major, has had an unspectacular weekend so far, but her third round score was an improvement from her first and second round scores of 70 and 72. “I just feel it on the way through”.

Wie had it to 3-under after a birdie at No. 13, but bogeyed No. 16.

Dealing with a painful left hip and ankle, and limping – especially on hills – Wie played her way into contention, six shots back, despite the discomfort.

Wie needs to shake her health issues to get fully back on track for the long term. “I know what to expect”. This year, she has recorded two top-10s and is 32d on the LPGA money list with more than $227,000.

Lopez aced the 156-yard 6 hole with a 6-iron, but didn’t follow the shot off her club for very long. “I had a 3-putt, so I remember just picking up the tee and thinking, ‘That’s a good shot, on the green, let’s go work on that speed control now.’. I’ve got to go through the boss first”.

Lopez, who plays on the Symetra Tour, had one previous ace. She bounced back with birdies at the fourth and par-three sixth but took another bogey at the par-three eighth.

A double bogey on the first hole looked ominous, but the 18-year-old recovered for a birdie at the second.

Amy Yang remains in the lead after the third round at eight-under but a bogey on the fourteenth – her third of the day – showed nerves down the back nine with American Stacy Lewis on the hunt.