After the first round at the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open, the top of the leaderboard is crowded with, Rio Takeda, Yealimi Noh, Jinhee Im, A Lim Kim, Angel Yin and Julia Lopez Ramirez tied at -4. Five more players are within one stroke of the top spot as well.
Conditions were relatively set up for scoring in the first round at Erin Hills, where the bad weather, at least temporarily, was clear. Winds were down, no rain came and once the afternoon hit, it was pretty warm also.
The morning wave generally played a bit easier, with Takeda, Noh, Im and Kim all coming from that side of the draw. This could mean a massive advantage for Yin and Lopez Ramirez Friday as they will get the better conditions in round two.
Yin was spectacular on a course that should suit her combination of ball striking and putting well. Yin unsurprisingly led the field in putting, gaining 4.74 strokes on the green. She made six birdies with only two bogeys.
Noh had perhaps the most well-rounded day. She was top 25 in every category but the real x-factor for her is when she gets the short game rolling. She was fourth in strokes gained around the green and 16th in strokes gained putting.
While Takeda wasn’t playing great around the greens, losing strokes on her short game, she was top five in strokes gained off the tee, strokes gained approach and driving distance. Once she was on the putting surface she was pretty good as well, ranking eighth in strokes gained putting.
Im had perhaps the strangest great round of the day, making four birdies between 10 and 14, but having 14 pars around them. She, like Yin was strongest with her putting, ranking second for the day with 3.1 strokes gained.
Kim had an up-and-down day with a couple of bogeys but six birdies. She combined great approach play, +2.88 strokes gained approach, with great putting, +2.85 strokes gained putting. She was top 20 in driving distance and hit 15 greens in regulation.
Finally, the surprise of the day, Lopez Ramirez, who turned in a wildly impressive bogey-free round. Lopez Ramirez gained strokes everywhere, but especially off the tee where she led the field in driving distance while hitting 11/14 fairways. That extra distance off the tee helped set her up to hit 16 greens.
The second round of the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open is set to pick up this morning, and clearly this is anyone’s tournament to take.
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