Gabsa was hoping to make birdie on the 12th hole – not hit a literal one
Hitting birdie putts is what every U.S. Women's Open golfer is trying to do this week, but Isi Gabsa had a different experience with a birdie on the 12th hole during her first round from Lancester Country Club.
Gabsa teed up on the par-3 12th hole hoping to get in good position to lower her score, which sat at 2-over par through her first round. When she made contact, the ball was heading right for the green, which is exactly what she wanted.
However, as the ball landed, it struck a bird that was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The bird was motionless, as the ball squirted a few feet away on the green.
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Isa Gabsa tees off during the first round of the LPGA Marathon Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. (Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
An official ended up walking over to the green to check on the bird, and after giving it a look, he picked the bird up and carried it away.
It's unknown if the bird perished from being struck by the golf ball.
NELLY KORDA SUFFERS UNBELIEVABLE MELTDOWN AT US WOMEN'S OPEN WITH EARLY SEPTUPLE-BOGEY
The 12th hole at Lancaster Country Club is NOT a birdie hole! #WomensUSOpenGolf pic.twitter.com/AOBZEoqQ7O
— Swing it and Ding it (@it_ding) May 30, 2024
Gabsa would finish the hole with a par after missing the birdie putt. Her first round would conclude with a 3-over 73, putting her tied 67th after one round.
Isi Gabsa lines up a putt during the first round of the U.S. Women's Open at Lancaster Country Club on May 30, 2024, in Pennsylvania. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Lancester Country Club was full of odd happenings in Thursday's first round, including the top-ranked golfer in the field, Nelly Korda, shooting a 10 on the same 12th hole. Korda's round was in shambles after that, as she finished 10-over on the day.
The course is playing hard for the top women golfers in the world, as the leading score was only 2-under par by Japan's Yuka Saso at the time of writing.
So, while Korda will have some work to do in Friday's second round to make the cut, Gabsa is certainly still in the running with how close everyone's scores were in the first round.
Isa Gabsa during the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol at Aviara Golf Club on March 26, 2022, in Carlsbad, California. (Donald Miralle/Getty Images)
But she may be paying attention to what might be in the way of her golf ball moving forward after this unfortunate run-in with a bird.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
