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HOUSTON – Hinako Shibuno can do without the nickname “Cinderella”, but not the smile. That was brilliant as ever on Friday (Saturday Manila time) when the Japanese star went 67-under at 4 and opened a three-shot lead ahead of the US Women’s Open weekend.
Shibuno’s only mistake on a mild, wet day at Champions Golf Club was a three-put bogey at par 3 16 on the Jackrabbit course. His goal was to avoid dropping more shots by being too aggressive. He finished with a 10-foot birdie putt to restore his lead over Arizona State sophomore Linn Grant from Sweden.
Shibuno rose to prominence suddenly in the summer of 2019 when she won the Women’s British Open in Woburn, the first major for the 22-year-old and her first time playing outside of Japan. They called her the “Smiling Cinderella”, in reference to her surprise performance and a captivating smile.
Yuka Saso was in sixth place after adding a calm 71 to her starting 69, making a birdie and a bogey.
The Filipino-Japanese golfer was in a group of 140 with three two-time Major League champions: Stacy Lewis, who loaded a 68; Ariya Jutanugarn from Thailand, who shot 70 for the second time in a row; and Cristie Kerr, who shot a 69.
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Bianca Pagdanganan, the other Filipina on the field, will miss the weekend’s game after adding 75 to her starting 72.
“Without any pressure,” Shibuno said. “I’m playing a major in the United States, unlike when I was at the British Open where I feel like I’m starting from scratch.”
She looked like the part of a major champion at the US Women’s Open, where the forecast for rain and strong wind never quite materialized. The rain was light and occasional. The wind was little more than a murmur.
Grant made her debut at the US Women’s Open two years ago when she was 18 at Shoal Creek and was tied for fourth through the weekend to close with rounds of 78-81.
He had a 69 on Jackrabbit and will be in the final group on Saturday. They will be joined by another fan, Texas senior Kaitlyn Papp, who had a 68 at Cypress Creek and was four shots behind.
The USGA used two fields for the first time because the pandemic forced the Women’s Open to be postponed for six months until December with limited daylight. The final two rounds will be at Cypress Creek, the field that previously hosted the Ryder Cup, the US Open and the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour.
Six fans made the cut, which was 3 out of 145.
Shibuno was 135 7 under par and only 12 players were within five shots of the lead.
Amy Olson, the leader of the 18 holes, had to birdie her last hole for a 72. She was in the group with Papp and Megan Khang (69) at 3 under par at 139.
Kerr played ghost-free at Jackrabbit and shot 69, and the 43-year-old former Open champion says the injury has at least dimmed her expectations.
“I’ve definitely missed shots that I normally wouldn’t miss because I’m in pain, but it’s actually a good mental place to be. I’m not happy with how I got here, but maybe it’s meant to teach me a lesson, I don’t know.”
Even winning a major championship last year was not enough for Shibuno to become a member of the LPGA Tour. She felt she was too young, too inexperienced, and needed more work at the Japan LPGA.
The plan was to wait until the end of the year and go through the LPGA version of the qualifying school. That was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The only way now is to win the Open.
When asked if he would join the LPGA this time, Shibuno smiled, of course, and said, “Of course, yes.”
It also had to deal with instant fame in Japan, where women’s golf often gets higher television ratings than men.
“I went from being a normal person to a celebrity overnight and I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like I’m acting like a good person,” he said through a translator. “In Japan, even though I was wearing a mask, people recognized me. Of course, that’s the purpose of playing golf professionally. But it’s harder for me to go out to dinner than before.”
Papp already has a USGA title to her name when she teamed up with her Texas teammate Hailee Cooper to win the US Women’s Four-Ball Amateur in 2016. She is a three-time All-American for the Longhorns, and assistant coach Kate Golden is in your bag for the week. He finished with two birdies, posting No. 17 at Cypress Creek.
“A good confidence booster for the weekend,” he said.
Jin Young Ko, the world’s number one player, hit 70 and made the cut with two shots to spare, leaving her eight shots behind. PGA Women’s Champion Sei Young Kim had a 69 and was six shots behind.
Nelly Korda, the world No. 3 player who has not competed in two months due to back pain, was among those who missed the cut. That list included Lexi Thompson and Mirim Lee, who won the ANA Inspiration award in September.
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