ERIN, Wis. — Four golfers, including American Yealimi Noh, tied for first at 4-under after day one of the US.. Women's Open, where young fans are finding inspiration for their own golfing dreams.
As the world's best golfers compete at the US Women's Open, a new generation watches with wide eyes and big dreams, hoping to one day forge their own path onto the fairway.
"We got to watch them practice and we got to watch them play a few holes," 9-year-old golfer Clara Krug shared.
For Krug and her sisters, golf has always been a part of their lives.
"We actually own a golf course, Eagle Springs Golf Resort, which is the oldest golf course in the state," their mom, Anne Krug, said.
With the U.S. Women's Open in their backyard, it's an opportunity to see what's possible.
"Yeah, it's pretty cool to see them and I can learn from them, watch them, and then hopefully bring that back home and learn and get better myself," 13-year-old Elise Krug said.
With nearly 10,000 fans expected daily, it's all part of a bigger goal: growing the game for those who will follow.
Watch: U.S. Women's Open inspires next generation as American Yealimi Noh shares first-round lead
"You see even more growth in the girls junior game than maybe the adult female game, and I think that's a testament to all of the programs that are available to kids locally," USGA Midwest Regional Affairs Director Jacob Miller said.
While women make up nearly one-quarter of all golfers, at the junior level that number continues to rise with girls making up 38% of junior golfers.
Yealimi Noh finishing her first round with a share of the clubhouse lead at -4 💪pic.twitter.com/fqbz2OgrAj
— LPGA (@LPGA) May 29, 2025
"The LPGA and specifically the girls that play in this championship understand how important that young fan is, and bringing more young girls into the game and getting excited about golf. So they're great about wanting to sign autographs and hang around and save some nice words," Miller added.
If there's one takeaway Anne Krug hopes her daughters learn from this week, it's that they can make an impact at any level.
"I think it's not just the professionals but just what it takes to run a tournament because there are so many women that are behind the scenes putting on this tournament as well, which is pretty cool to see," she said.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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