Every once in a blue moon, Japan’s Hinako Shibuno shows up and shoots a low number at a major championship.
She showed up early Thursday morning and plotted her way around historic Muirfield in just 67 shots, good enough to hold the first round lead at the Women’s Open Championship.
Shibuno won this event in 2019 at Woburn but hasn’t done much since. That major championship is her only LPGA Tour win, and a major at that. She still chooses to play the LPGA Japan for the most part.
It was a sunny, breezy day at Muirfield. It wasn’t playing easy. “It has been a long time since I’ve played this well, especially putting,” said Shibuno who had eight birdies on her card en route to a six-under par 65. “Honestly, it was a little frightening!” she added.
Shibuno says she’s a more complete player now than she was two or three years ago. “Two years ago when we were playing at Royal Troon, the wind completely took over my shots. I wasn’t thinking about how to use this to my advantage,” she explained. “However, this Championship I could adapt my style to the elements. I imagined my swing, if the wind was coming from the right I could play by feel how far from the pin I needed to aim. I’m always happy to be here. It was nostalgic to be on top (of the leaderboard).”
Shibuno was a shot better than another early wave player — Jessica Korda, who cut her her highly-ranked sister, world No. 3 Nelly — by four shots with a nifty 66.
Former British amateur champion Louise Duncan was in the first group out and turned in a 67. Duncan, in her first event as a professional, had four birdies and an eagle at the 17th to finish off a great morning. “I couldn’t have asked for a better start, I played really well,” said the 21-year-old. “It was one of my best rounds of the year, and probably of my life to be honest.
“It was up there, I missed a few chances as well. So I’ll take it forward and take some confidence from it. “It’s a dream start, I can’t ask for much more than that.”
Duncan was in the first group out at 6:30am and had to work her way through and early morning downpour. But the winds were down but by the afternoon way, it was blowing 15-20 miles per hour. “It was a wee bit difficult at the start,” Duncan explained. “But the wind wasn’t as strong as it was just now, so I kind of took advantage of that and just dealt with the rain.”
World No. 1 Jin Young Ko got roughed up and finished with a 76 while No. 2 Minjee Lee put herself right in the thick of it with an opening 68. No. 3 Nelly Korda shot 70, Lydia Ko (No. 4) was in with an even par round of 71. Canada’s Brooke Henderson (No. 5 shot 70, Atthaya Titikul’s 71 left her tied for 26th. Lexi Thompson didn’t find the long ball much help. The world’s No. 7 shot 75. Fellow American, Jennifer Kupcho’s 73 left her tied for 56th.
Early Friday Update: Minjee Lee (68-70) and Celine Boutier (68-70) were both the early leaders in the house at four-under par. Scoring conditions were becoming a bit more difficult on Friday as the temps were a tad cooler and the breezes were picking up nicely, creating the challenges that are links golf. First round leader Shibuno was over par early as was Jessica Korda.
The 36-hole cutline was at two-over, early but looked like it would move to three-over. Nelly Korda followed her 70 with 74 and at two-over, looked quite safe for the weekend. World No. 1 Jin Young Ko was most likely leaving earlyl after rounds of 76-71 lefther at five-over par. Lexi Thompson was struggling, she was over par early in her round and six-over and Muirfield isn’t the type of course where you can make up lost ground.
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