Mississippi State University golfer Chiara Horder will participate in the U.S. Women’s Open.
The past few months have been a whirlwind for Chiara Horder, and the pace isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
In early April, Horder participated in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Later that month, she played a crucial role in Mississippi State’s victory at the Southeastern Conference title, marking the team’s first-ever win. Subsequently, she helped the Bulldogs progress through the NCAA regionals and into the national championship event, where MSU finished 15th.
Now, as spring transitions into summer, Horder is preparing for her debut at the U.S. Women’s Open at the Lancaster Country Club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Originally from Munich, Germany, Horder competed in two majors last year—the Evian Championship and the Women’s British Open—and earned her spot in the U.S. Open by winning The Women’s Amateur Championship in Kent, England, last June.
“I’m really excited. It’s such a pleasure, it’s so nice being here,” Horder said. “Obviously the U.S. Open is something big and something very special.”
Horder began playing golf in Germany at a young age and followed in the footsteps of her older brother, Nico Horder, to the American collegiate ranks. Nico, two years her senior, played at Arkansas-Little Rock after his freshman year at Rogers State University in Oklahoma.
Initially committing to Texas Tech, where she competed for two years, Horder transferred to MSU in 2023. Her boyfriend, Alejandro Pedryc, had also played his first two collegiate seasons with the Red Raiders before joining the Bulldogs in 2022, prompting Horder to follow him to Starkville a year later.
“It was quite a hard time just because I wanted something new,” Horder said. “I wanted a new environment. I just needed something new in my life. Coming to Mississippi State was very nice. I really liked both coaches (Charlie Ewing and Lauren Whyte). They’ve been helping me a lot.”
Before her triumph at The Women’s Amateur last year, Horder’s best college tournament finish was sixth place at the 2022 Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational, though she did secure a top-20 finish at the 2022 Women’s Amateur Championship. However, she displayed remarkable composure in the 36-hole final round at Prince’s Golf Club, defeating Annabelle Pancake with four birdies on par-3s.
Horder carried this success into her first season at MSU, achieving a top-10 finish at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational in October, setting the stage for the Bulldogs’ historic spring season.
“In Lancaster, Horder will compete against some of the golfers she admired most growing up, like Nelly Korda and Anna Nordqvist, and she is one of just 21 amateurs in the field. She will tee off Thursday for the first round at 1:14 p.m. local time (12:14 p.m. CT) along with Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark and Kokona Sakurai of Japan, starting with the back nine.
“I’ve been playing the course the last two days, and it’s very hard. It was quite windy the last few days as well,” Horder said. “The greens are firm (and) fast, the rough was so much thicker. All components which you don’t really experience in college golf, I would say. The courses are just not as tough as what you get here, not as long as what you get here. It’s definitely a big challenge, just staying mentally present and enjoying the moment.”
