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After starting the day with a four-stroke lead, Japan’s Hinako Shibuno loaded her first round of over-par of the 2020 US Women’s Open on Saturday, shooting a 3-for-74 at Champions Golf Club. The 2019 AIG Women’s Open champion has a one-shot lead over American Amy Olson, whose par 71 led her to second solo before Sunday’s final round.
Shibuno loaded four bogeys to just one birdie on a wet Cypress Creek Course, opening with a bogey at No. 1 and stumbling to the finish with bogeys at 14 and 18. He said the nerves of being in the final group played a factor in His Saturday’s Fights, as well as the 2020 familiar feeling of not having fans off the ropes.
“Last year when I won the major, there were a lot of people in front of me and because of the audience, that gave me power and it’s also easy for me to get a boost,” Shibuno said. “However, now there are no people, there is no audience and it is very difficult for me to gain momentum, because when I have a streak of birdies, when I have the birdie, it is silence.”
Olson, who held an 18-hole lead after 67 in the first round, nearly hole from the fairway with an 8-iron at No. 17, taking the short birdie to cap his round and return to the final group.
“I am very happy with how I played today. It was a routine, ”said Olson, who played in the final group at the 2018 ANA Inspiration and 2018 Evian Championship, but failed to achieve the top two titles. “The pairs were a great score on every hole today. Fortunately, I made a couple of good birdies, especially the one on 17 coming in. Some really solid par putts and that’s really what it comes down to, making those putts whether it’s for birdie or par. “
Moriya Jutanugarn was -2 on 13 holes and two strokes off Shibuno’s lead. She dropped a shot at No. 14 and then double bogeyed at the 17th hole to get a 1-over-72. Sitting at -1 overall, Jutanugarn will complete Sunday’s final group with Shibuno and Olson.
After receiving four-tenths of an inch of rain overnight, Champions’ Cypress Creek Course showed its teeth on Saturday, with the average score climbing to 74,697, more than one stroke more than Friday. Only Ji Yeong Kim2 (-4) and Hae Ran Ryu (-1) returned rounds below par on Saturday, with Kim2 jumping into Sunday’s penultimate group after starting on the 10th tee in the third round.
Playing alongside Shibuno in Saturday’s final group, amateurs Linn Grant and Kaitlyn Papp shot +7 and +4, respectively, to slow down. Defending US Women’s Open champion Jeongeun Lee6 shot 73 in the third round and is tied for 15th at +2 overall.
