A poor three holes has cost Amelia Garvey a spot in the weekend at her first golf major.
The Kiwi amateur had a sensational first day at the US Open in Texas where she shot a one-under round to sit just three shots off the lead after 18 holes.
She was well poised in her second round today at the Champions Golf Club's Jack Rabbit Course, before bogeying the 15th, triple-bogeying the par-three 16th, and dropping another shot at the 17th to card a five-over round.
It left her at four-over for the tournament, just short of the cut-line of three-over.
Garvey said after her round that it just wasn't her day.
"I just don't think I had it today at all, and I knew that kind of at the start. Through nine holes was doing really well to be one-over. So it was just a grind out there.
"When you're not swinging it well … you're going to be caught out, and I eventually was really.
"I mean, I was the same mindset as yesterday – just go out there and do the same thing. Just today it just wasn't there."
Despite the tough round, the 20-year-old said she took plenty of positives from her first major experience and knows she can kick it with the pros.
"Just that I know I belong here, I guess," she said when asked what she took away from the week. "Obviously first major experience, first proper tour competition. So I know my game is there."
Lydia Ko. Photo / AP
Meanwhile, fellow Kiwi Lydia Ko carded a solid one-under in her second round to stay in the mix in a tie for 14th going into the weekend.
However, she and everyone else will be chasing Japan's Hinako Shibuno who leads the field by three shots.
Ko was relatively happy with her round, but admitted she wasn't at her best.
"I don't think I hit the ball as well today, but I made a lot of good up-and-downs," she told NZME after her round.
"I feel like it was a case where it could have been better but it could have been worse. So yeah, another solid round. Hopefully take that kind of momentum going into the weekend."
She says she needs to hit more fairways and have better speed control on the greens if she is to contend for the title.
Ko is six shots back of leader Shibuno, who is three shots ahead of Swedish amateur Linn Grant in second. American trio Kaitlyn Papp, Megan Khang and Amy Olson are four shots back in third.