2025 U.S. Women’s Open: Nelly Korda drops 7 birdies to shoot 67 and get in serious contention

Nelly Korda is on the hunt for her third major championship.

After starting the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open with a round of even par, the number one player in the world showed up on Friday morning on a mission.

Korda danced around Erin Hills and dropped 7 birdies in the process. A couple of bogeys gave her a score of 67 on the day and when she walked off of the ninth green (she started on the back on Friday) she sat in a tie for second, three strokes behind Chevron Championship winner Mao Saigo.

It was an impressive round for Korda and honestly one that could and maybe even should have been better than 67. A couple of miscues on a few greens may be a part of her look-back on the day, but she is firmly in contention for a chance to pick up her third career major championship.

While Korda went out in the morning on Friday she was unquestionably among the very best players in the field on the day at large. As Justin Ray noted, she gained at least a full stroke on the entire field off of the tee. That is unreal.

When Korda, Charley Hull and Lexi Thompson finished their second round it appeared as if some weather was on the way at Erin Hills. We will see how that impacts the tournament, but ultimately one of the game’s very best players is ready to make her mark with lots of legacy on the line.

Onto the weekend.