What is going on at Erin Hills? The 2025 U.S. Women’s Open has seen some shocking incidents so far. From the tension between Charley Hull & Lexi Thompson to Nelly Korda‘s rise to the top of the leaderboard, this major course is putting on a show! Jin Young Ko would probably be able to describe the conditions in Wisconsin the best, as she faced one of the most treacherous obstacles in the first round of the event.
Ko made the cut for the weekend after barely scraping through with a 1-over par. She is still at a huge disadvantage as she sits 9 strokes off Mao Saigo at the top of the table. However, she nearly had a nightmare of a first round due to a terrible lie on the 14th hole at Erin Hills. Her second shot in the par-5 hole landed on the rough just outside the green. As her ball sits in the rough, about a foot from the fringe, she hits a flop that barely gets to the fringe. From the looks of it, you’d think she mishit, but she didn’t.
Her hit aimed to keep the ball on the green. The ball, after rolling downhill, accelerates quickly, running across the entire width of the green and stopping inches from tumbling down the other side. A video tweeted by Rick Golfs showed Ko’s wedge shot from the slope.
Shocked by the fast roll, the tweet read, “Crazy stuff at the Ladies US Open at Erin Hills! Has the USGA gone too far? I mean, Ko had zero chance. Barely moved the ball, and it was gone. I say keep it spicy! Erin Hills shares traits with Shinnecock; let this course be the mean brute as well!”As Rick admitted it himself, Ko’s shot was not at all aggressive. But thanks to that downhill, she was able to save the hole for a par.
Crazy stuff at the Ladies US Open at Erin Hills!
Has the USGA gone too far?
I mean, Ko had zero chance. Barely moved the ball and it was gone.
I say keep it spicy! Erin Hills shares traits with Shinnecock, let this course be the mean brute as well!pic.twitter.com/z7lOoCV81w
— Rick Golfs (@Top100Rick) May 30, 2025
The internet was also intrigued by the fast-rolling surface of the course in Wisconsin, and they expressed their opinions in the comments section.
Netizens are amazed by the unforgiving greens at Erin Hills
Most of the fans were shocked at seeing how quick the greens at Erin Hills are. But all of them didn’t hold the same opinion about what Jin Young Ko had to face. Some criticized Ko for her terrible approach shot that got her in trouble. One of them commented, “That downslope was crazy. I don’t know that I’d blame the USGA on that one. Played plenty of normal courses that can bone you like that if you’re in the wrong spot above the hole.” They seem to believe that while the USGA is known for delivering challenging courses, it’s the Korean national who should be blamed for hitting the ball uphill. She could have chosen to play it safely on the fairway just before the green and escape with an easy birdie instead of a par.
Others were more critical of the course itself, as the course was a little too unforgiving for their liking. Someone said, “There’s NO controversy here!! There are certain spots you just don’t hit it at Erin Hills and that’s one of them on 14. It was a horrible approach shot & she got her just punishment. She’s extremely lucky it didn’t roll into the bunker because I’ve seen that happen in person.” The fan didn’t mince their words as they blamed the rough lie entirely on Ko’s inability to find the green and her bad judgment, trying to push her luck instead of playing it safe.
A few comments bashed Jin Young Ko for hitting the ball in the obvious danger zone. One of the fans said, “What’s the problem tho? Is that the hill with the invisibility cloak that the players can’t see? How is it different than a green side creek or pot bunker? Don’t hit it there, if you do, you’ll suffer the consequences.” They believe that the steep slope down the green should have been a warning enough for Ko to play a little less aggressively. Especially because the USGA had already reported that the green was rolling at 13 on the Stimpmeter. She found the greenside rough and suffered the “consequences” for it. Honestly, the bunker on the other side was a much safer option.
Speaking from experience playing at Erin Hills, someone in the comments section also mentioned, “Played it in 2022. The slopes are way more severe than they look on TV. You can get into a bad spot like that on many of the holes.” According to them, the TV broadcast doesn’t do justice to how challenging the course is. Having played there themself, they have had first-hand experience of the treacherous slopes of the Wisconsin-based course.
Taking a dig at both, Rick and Jin, someone also commented, “Don’t hit it there, the leader is -8 and the cut is +1. The USGA has absolutely not gone too far.” 38 of the 63 golfers who made the cut managed to score under par. The course or the USGA is not to be blamed for the mistakes Ko made with her approach shot in the first round.
Fortunately for Jin Young Ko, making par in the second round helped her make the cut for the weekend leg of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open. But if she continues to hit the ball inaccurately and in dangerous positions, then she might as well give up any hopes of challenging for the title.
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