St. Augustine native and rising Beachside High senior Sofia Rivera had a rough start to her first U.S. Women’s Open round on June 4 at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
But a late dinner may go down easier after she played the front nine (her back) at 1-under par with a closing birdie at the par-4 ninth hole.
Rivera, at 16, the youngest First Coast resident to play in a USGA National Open, finished with a 4-over 75 and is in a tie for 104th, nine shots behind leader Jennifer Kupcho. Rivera is being caddied by her uncle, two-time PGA Tour winner Russell Knox.
Rivera goes 4-over in first five holes
Rivera, the Times-Union girls’ high school player of the year and FHSAA Class 3A state champion in 2025, bogeyed her first two holes and then doubled the par-4 14th hole. She then bogeyed the next par-3, No. 16 and shot 5-over 41 on the back nine.
However, she made her first birdie at the par-5 first hole on a putt of 2 feet, 2 inches, and shook off her final bogey of the day at No. 3 with five pars in a row and then a birdie at the ninth, on a putt of 3-9.
Rivera found the putting surface despite missing her 10th fairway of the day at the last. She hit only six greens but saved herself from an even higher score with only 26 putts.
When will Sofia Rivera tee off in the second round?
Rivera, playing with another amateur, University of Missouri junior Addie Dobson and professional Natsumi Hayakawa of Japan, will tee off No. 1 at 11:46 a.m. on June 5.
Rivera will begin the day two shots off the cut line.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Sofia Rivera closes out first U.S. Women’s round with a birdie
Reporting by Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union | USA TODAY Network
