ERIN, Wis. – Kiara Romero leaves Erin Hills with a piece of history. The 19-year-old amateur went out in the first group on Sunday at the 80th U.S. Women’s Open and posted the lowest final-round score by an amateur in championship history.
Romero’s 5-under 67 included six birdies and was a whopping 17 strokes better than her Saturday score.
“I think just knowing that I was literally in dead last kind of freed me up into knowing I had absolutely nothing to lose and just playing my game,” said the University of Oregon standout. “Knowing I’ve been playing some good golf. I made the cut to get here. I knew I had it in me and I just tried to stay patient and put that round behind me.”
The third-round scoring average at Erin Hills was 75.23, and Romero, like many other players, got especially tripped up on the drivable par-4 15th where she made an eight.
“I think it was just a lot easier, like everything was just coming to me,” said Romero, one of six amateurs to make the cut. “I could read the greens and I knew what club I was hitting. Yesterday all those things were just a mystery to me. It was like I’ve never played golf before, yeah. Just happens I guess.”
Romero, who will return to Oregon for her junior season in the fall, had head coach Derek Radley on the bag at Erin Hills. The 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion made her USWO debut last year at Lancaster Country Club where she missed the cut.
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