In a year like no other, there’s a leaderboard like no other after the first 36 holes of the 75th Women’s U.S. Open in Houston.
Hinako Shibuno was a virtual unknown when she won the British Open in 2019. She’s a full-time player on the Japan LPGA Tour and has never played in a U.S. Open until this week. That didn’t stop the player known as “The Smiling Cinderella” from shooting rounds of 68-67 and she sits atop the pack at seven-under par at The Champions heading into the weekend.
Shibuno, who has played in only four total major championships, put together a round with six birdies on the Jackrabbit course Friday and her 67 along with her opening 68 put her three in front of amateur Linn Grant, a sophomore at Arizona State who hails from Sweden. Grant has a pair of 69s in the books and she’s alone at four-under par.
Yet another amateur — Kaitlyn Papp (71-68) — a senior at the University of Texas, was one of three players at three-under par. First round leader Amy Olson followed up her 67 with a 72 on the Jackrabbit course. Megan Khang had the best start of any player on day one with birdies on four of her first five holes. She’s only one-over for the next 31 and in at three-under with Papp and Olson.
Things get interesting when you glance at the players at two-under par. Cristie Kerr, injured in a golf cart accident last week, is in at two-under after rounds of 71-69, cracked ribs and all. So is Stacy Lewis (72-68) and both the Jutanugarn sisters — Ariya and Moriya.
World’s No. 1 Jin Young Ko got herself in striking distance heading to the final two days. After an opening 71, she added 70. There with her is the world’s No. 2 — Sei Young Kim. After a 72 on the Jackrabbit Thursday, Kim bounced back with a 69 on Cypress Creek and is in good shape to contend.
Most of the field beat the rain as they moved the tee times up two hours and twenty minutes for the second round. But there were some big names who won’t be around for the weekend. One of them is world’s No. 3 — Nelly Korda. After two months off to nurse a back injury, Korda’s inactivity showed in ronds of 73-73 — four-over par. The 36-hole cut came at three-over and Lexi Thompson didn’t come close. She struggled with rounds of 74-73 and was six-over. Gerina Piller was near the top of the scoreboard on day one with a 69 but she was 10 shots worse on Friday and finished six-over. Same for world’s No. 10 Sung Hyun Park (70-78).
Last week winner outside Dallas, Angela Stanford, had a victory hangover and put together rounds of 80-74.
The field will now say goodbye to the two-course setup with the final two rounds staged over the Cypress Creek course.
As for the leader — Shibuno — she’s now used to attention in a major. No pressure whatsoever,” Shibuno said after she finished her second round. ”I’m playing a major in the United States, unlike when I was at the British Open, where I feel like I am starting from scratch.”
