Teenage golfer Nellie Ong is still processing the reality that she will be teeing off against the world’s elite when the US Women’s Open kicks off on June 4 at the Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
“Nelly Korda is on fire – just seeing her on the practice range or even in the same area as me will be pretty cool,” said the 19-year-old from Hingham, Norfolk.
Ong secured her spot in the major by carding a 36-hole level-par 144 at the final qualifier, finishing second in a field of 78 players at New Albany Country Club.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I’m actually playing in a major. It’s pretty amazing,” Ong told BBC Radio Norfolk. “It hasn’t fully sunk in yet, but it means so much to me. There will be around 150 players from across the globe, and probably only six or seven from England.”
Korda recently reclaimed the world number one ranking with her Chevron Championship win.
Ong was selected for the East regional squad at age 13 and now competes on the US college golf circuit while studying at Ohio State. She has never played Riviera Country Club, a course stretching over 7,000 yards that will also host the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics golf tournament.
“They haven’t released the yardages yet, so I’m not exactly sure how long it will play, but I’ve looked at pictures,” she said. “Usually, a course strategist sends me all the details about a week or a week and a half before, so I’ll know more closer to the time. It looks amazing. I’m sure it’s going to be very, very challenging – it’s a US Open, known as the toughest test in golf, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Sweden’s Maja Stark won the 2025 US Women’s Open by two shots at Erin Hills [Getty Images]
‘It’s Going to Be Pretty Surreal’
Though a major championship debut, Ong can rely on advice from familiar faces, including world number 10 Lottie Woad, with whom she has previously played foursomes.
“I know her pretty well, so I’ve been messaging her a lot, hassling her with questions – when should I arrive, what to do for practice rounds… I’m probably driving her crazy, but she’s been a huge help since I’ve never played an event this big. It’s nice to know someone I can lean on so I don’t feel completely on my own,” Ong said.
Ong has been coached by Roly Hitchcock for the past eight years after being introduced through the England Golf Pathway program.
“Usually, in college or European events, I know most of the field. But this time, it’s going to be all my idols playing, so it’s going to be pretty surreal. I’m really looking forward to it,” she added.
The qualifying day at New Albany Country Club was a long one, with 36 holes of golf followed by an anxious wait to see if her score would hold up.
“I was one of the first to go off – teed off at 7:30 in the morning. I knew I just had to put up a good number and then sit in the clubhouse waiting for everyone else to finish,” said Ong. “I saw my position after the first round was pretty solid, but then the weather turned really bad in the afternoon. I was nine holes into my second round while some hadn’t even started – I didn’t know exactly what I needed, so I just stuck to my process, kept hitting good shots, and managed to finish with a decent number. I was nervous for a couple of hours, just sitting there hoping nobody would catch me. Luckily, no one did.”
Ong will have her father on the course for support, while her mother stays home as her two sisters prepare for school exams. Still, there are important decisions to make, like who will caddy for her at Riviera, along with other logistical matters.
“We’re in the middle of our college season, so I’m trying to balance preparing for the US Open and other tournaments for my team. You have to ground yourself – you can’t keep thinking about all this when you’ve got another tournament to play,” she said.
At the Open, however, she will be playing solo and is embracing the challenge.
“This time, I’m doing it just for me and for the experience. There’s no real pressure because I don’t have huge expectations. I just want to have a good time. If I play great, great; if not, I’ll move on to the next tournament knowing I’ve had an amazing experience in a major. I think this is going to be super fun. I just want to soak up as much as possible.”