How Are Players Faring on This "Diabolical" Par 3 at Erin Hills?

ERIN, WIS. — You've probably been hearing about it all week—the shortest par 5 in Wisconsin that plays only 139 yards. For some that's an easy 9-7 iron shot, but the par-3 ninth hole at Erin Hills is anything but easy. Nelly Korda calls it "diabolical." But why?

It feels like an oxymoron. Having the shortest hole also playing the hardest, but it makes things interesting, no? That's what you'd expect from championship golf, make even the simplest of things harder than they appear.

The insanely undulated green is spectacularly bunkered, surrounded on all sides—demanding you to hit a clean strike, because if you don't you'll pay for it.

Oh, but getting a shot to safely land on the putting surface is a whole other challenge. The severe sloping makes this a difficult green to not just land a ball, but getting it to stay on.

The Ninth Hole of the Erin Hills Golf Course in Hartford, Wis. on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (Copyright USGA/Fred Vuich)

So how did players fair during the opening round of the 80th U.S. Women's Open?

To absolutely no one's surprise, the ninth was the hardest hole on the course with a an average hole scoring average of 3.290.

Throughout the day the ninth saw 19. birdies, 86 pars, 40 bogeys, 10 doubles, and only one player faired worse than two-over on the hole.

For those who went off earlier in the day, they got some assistance from the weather conditions, when the average green speed was rolling 13’. As the day progressed, the number settled in the mid-12s.

Korda, who went off later in the afternoon, walked away from the signature short hole with a par. For context, Korda had a mishap during last year's USWO making a 10 on the par-3 12th at Lancaster—she faired much better this time around.

Though we haven't seen anything as disastrous as a 10—it's expected that the ninth will continue to be a factor throughout the weekend, especially as winds begin to pick up during the second round.