Cheering for a fan favorite

I did not appreciate NASCAR’s personality cults until I went to Dover Downs and watched the races in person. 

In the stands, you could see a crowd of fans proudly stand and cheer for their favorite driver on every lap.

Those same fans proudly stood and held aloft the middle finger of each hand when the guy they didn’t like roared by. He was not No. 1.

Of course, the fans at the U.S. Women’s Open are far more sedate. On the other hand, it is also easy to see and hear who they really want to play well.

During the second round of this year’s tournament at Lancaster Country Club, Nelly Korda tried to make the cut after a disastrous first round of 80, low-lighted by her 10 on the par three 12th hole. A huge crowd walked along as best they could to support her quest, challenged by fences and limited fairway-crossing opportunities.

Much of her competition attracted far smaller audiences, which I saw repeatedly at the 175-yard par three 17th hole. 

Unlike Lancaster’s other par threes, the 17th features a modest elevation change of only 5 feet or so above its tee box. It therefore played as a much more straightforward hole compared to the distance calculations required for the sixth, the eighth or the 12th. This hole’s main defenses included a deep bunker on the left front, a shallow bunker on the right, and impressive elevation changes on the green itself.

About 20 people watched Elizabeth Szokol bounce her tee shot onto the green and into the left fringe about 30 feet from the hole. She putted through the fringe to 3 feet below the hole and made par, six groups ahead of Korda.

Japan’s Hinako Shibuno watched her tee shot land close, only to watch it roll back to about 20 feet below the hole. Two dozen fans applauded her two-putt par, five groups ahead of Korda.

Thai amateur Pimpisa Sisutham drove into the right greenside bunker 10 yards from the hole, four groups ahead of Korda. She blasted out to 6 feet and made the par. Polite applause from the 20 fans seemed muffled compared to what I could hear going on elsewhere on the course.

Florida amateur Maisie Filler came to the 17th tee at 21-over par, three groups ahead of Korda. Her tee shot finished 13 feet from the hole, inspiring cheers among her two dozen witnesses. They applauded again when she made the birdie putt.

About 30 people edged the 17th green for the next group, which included Coloradan Jennifer Kupcho, Sweden’s Linn Grant and English amateur Lottie Woad, recent winner of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Of these three, Kupcho played 17 the best. Her tee shot finished about 30 feet left and below the hole. Her birdie putt slid 6 feet past, but she made par. 

The next threesome, just preceding Korda’s group, had a larger crowd around them near the tee box, but not for anything they were doing. Those added fans were simply positioning themselves to watch Korda tee off after she finished the 16th.

Swedish amateur Ingrid Lindblad had the easiest time of it, landing her tee shot 14 feet away and nearly hole high. Her first putt finished within a foot and she walked off with her par.

As Lundbad left, the massive Korda contingent began filling all available spaces around the 17th hole.

By the time Korda, Megan Khang and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka hit their tee shots, this part of the course was stuffed with fans. The crowd roared encouragement to Korda’s ball in flight, which ended with a loud sigh as the Floridian’s approach finished 32 feet left of the hole. 

The noise level increased again as she tried for birdie, only to drift back when the ball stopped 2 feet past. 

As Korda and her group moved on toward the 18th, the crowd went with her. 

The place looked a bit empty.

Note: This is the last of a series on the par threes at Lancaster CC during the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open.

FlingGolf Clinic Sept. 19

Austin Eberson at American Classic Golf Club is holding a FlingGolf Clinic at 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 19. 

The $10 fee covers instruction on throwing for distance and accuracy along with short game tips.

To register, email Ebersole at info@americanclassicgolf.com.

Local club competition results

The Kings Creek CC Ladies 9- and 18-Hole Leagues played a Beat the Pros Scramble game Sept. 5, hoping to beat the pros on the second and seventh holes.

Donna Deely, Sara Cavendish, Deb Chase and Donna Romer won first place. Jackie Everett, Kay Woollen, Eileen Riddell and Mary Kupfer took second, and Lesley Corydon, Sally McGovern, Rae Von Doehren and Lisa Gercenstein finished third. 

Two teams beat the pros – Jean Chlastawa, Katie Heintz, Robbie Monkman and Terry Barrera, and Corydon, McGovern, Von Doehren and Gercenstein.