Yuka Saso turned in an even-par 71 and dropped to join 6th, five shots behind new leader Japanese Hinako Shibuno after Friday’s second round of the of the US Women’s Open.
Unable to brandish the form that gave her an opening round 69, the reigning Asian Games champion had one birdie and one bogey for 140 at Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.
She’s now in the company of former major champions Stacy Lewis, who carded a 68; Thai Ariya Jutanugarn, who shot a second straight 70; and Cristie Kerr, who bounced back with a 69 despite a dislocated ribs from a golf cart crash.
Shibuno, the 2019 Women’s British Open champion, fired a four-under par 67 to seize a three-stroke lead with a 135 total.
Swedish amateur Linn Grant shot a second 69 to stand second on 138 with Americans Amy Olson, Megan Khang and Kaitlyn Papp another stroke adrift.
Shibuno made six birdies and two bogeys on Jackrabbit, one of two courses used along with Cypress Creek for the opening two rounds, and said she couldn’t draw much confidence this week from her major title at Woburn.
“I feel like I’m not really confident at all,” Shibuno said through a translator. “It feels like this is not myself.”
Rainy and windy conditions had many players feeling off, the December conditions forced because the event was rescheduled from June due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which also prevented spectators from attending.
Not fortunate was Bianca Pagdanganan who struggled with a 75, thus missing the weekend action. She had an opening round 72.
“I feel strange when I make a birdie and it is totally quiet,” Shibuno said.
Shibuno, who won four times last year on the Japan LPGA Tour, opened with a 10-foot birdie putt at the par-5 first, added another at the par-4 sixth and answered her first bogey at the par-4 eighth with birdies at the par-5 10th and par-4 12th.
At the close, she sandwiched birdies at the par-4 15th and 17th around a bogey at the par-3 16th.
“My tee shots found the rough more often, however, my second shots were pretty stable and able to par on to the greens,” Shibuno said.
Grant, 21, had been tied for fourth two years ago at Shoal Creek before rounds of 78 and 81 at the weekend left her sharing 57th.
“I got a bit stressed on the third day going out with the elite group,” Grant said.
World number two Kim Sei-young of South Korea was in a pack sharing 14th on 141 after a 69 at Cypress Creek, where all weekend play will be contested.
World number one Ko Jin-young of South Korea shared 29th on 143 after a 70 at Jackrabbit. (AFP)