It’s not a U.S. Open without putts ending up 30 yards off the green.
That’s what happened to Esther Henseleit on Saturday at Erin Hills’ 260-yard, par-4 15th hole. Henseleit was even par and six shots off the U.S. Women’s Open lead when she drove the green at No. 15, leaving herself about 55 feet for eagle.
However, Henseleit’s eagle putt had to navigate a crest in the green, and when her ball came down the ridge toward the hole, it had way too much pace. Next thing Henseleit knew, her putt had traveled 145 feet and ended up in the rough some 30 yards from the hole.
The nightmare wasn’t over either. Henseleit couldn’t get her chip onto the putting surface as the ball rolled back down into the thick stuff. She took her fourth shot over the bunker and onto the original front portion of the green, then putted from 48 feet to 4 feet to set up her double-bogey make.
The surprising 6 knocked her back to 2 over.
