Nanna Koerstz Madsen charged up the leaderboard on moving day at the U.S. Women’s Open conducted by the USGA, to sit four shots off the lead after a (-5) 66 at the Country Club of Charleston.
It had been a frustrating effort for her for this week. In spite of strong play tee to green, where she’s tied for the third most greens in regulation, she hasn’t been able to put the ball in the cup for red numbers.
Today, she finally broke through with the flat stick to make her move.
“Just stay patient, my caddie is just saying, if you keep playing good, the putt’s going to drop eventually,” Koerstz Madsen told LPGA.com.
It’s a parallel to her effort to break through for not only her first career LPGA victory, but the first LPGA victory of anyone from her home country of Denmark.
In 2017, before she joined the LPGA Tour, Koerstz Madsen finished in second place at the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open. She moved up from 5th place where she three shots off the lead heading into the final round.
She made her appearance in her first U.S. Women’s Open that year as well, missing the cut. There was a lot to take in for Koerstz Madsen.
“In 2017 I hadn’t played on the LPGA, only a couple events. Now I’m more used to playing with the LPGA and the same girls every week. I’m just getting more used to playing out here. Courses are harder, so I think my game is following that. You have to play good on these courses.”
Recording a pair of top 20 results in her first LPGA season in 2018, she’s giving herself chances to hoist a trophy this season.
She came close to knocking down the winner’s circle door in April at the HUGEL-AIR PREMIA LA Open.
Koerstz Madsen sat one shot off the lead heading into Sunday in Los Angeles. She talked with LPGA.com then before the final round, reflecting on what a victory would mean to her.
“It would mean a lot. That’s what we are fighting for and working so hard to reach.”
After a brief pause to reflect, she further emphasized the point.
“That would mean a lot.”
She struggled in that final round, ending up at T13 for the tournament.
Yet once again, another opportunity has presented itself, as Koerstz Madsen has put herself in striking distance of the lead at the U.S. Women’s Open with 18 holes to play.
As her caddy has explained to her about her putting, as long as she stays patient, that victory will eventually come.
Koerstz Madsen tees off Sunday at 1:36 P.M., trailing leaders Celine Boutier and Yu Liu by four shots.
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