Last year's Women's Open champion Hinako Shibuno fires a 67 to take a commanding three-shot lead into the weekend of the US Women's Open in Houston, but Charley Hull's three late bogeys leave her seven behind
Friday 11 December 2020 23:44, UK
Hinako Shibuno is well placed to challenge for a second major victory after she opened up a three-shot lead at the halfway stage of the US Women's Open in Houston.
Shibuno's four-under 67 over the Jackrabbit course at The Champions Club lifted her to seven under par, while Charley Hull slipped seven strokes off the pace after a disappointing finish to her second round.
Veteran Cristie Kerr, the 2007 champion, continued to defy the pain from the rib injury she suffered in a freak cart accident last week and fired a bogey-free 69 to get to two under, but Nelly Korda and Lexi Thompson made an early exit along with English duo Mel Reid and Georgia Hall.
Shibuno will go into the weekend in pole position after last year's Women's Open champion carded six birdies and just two bogeys in tricky, breezy conditions after an early start due to adverse weather that was forecast for late Friday afternoon.
The Japanese star is a relative unknown in the United States despite her maiden major victory at Woburn, but she admitted she would be tempted to join the LPGA Tour full-time if she stays in front over the next 36 holes.
"By all means, yes," she joked when asked if she would base herself in the US before insisting she did not feel as much pressure this week as she did during her Women's Open triumph.
"No pressure whatsoever," Shibuno added. "Now I'm going to the US Tour and I'm playing a major in the United States, unlike when I was at the British Open, where I felt like I was starting from scratch.
"Today my tee shots found the rough more often. However, my second shots were pretty stable and able to par on to the greens. So my golf today was pretty safe, stable condition. At the same time, when it comes to the chance for a birdie, my putting was pretty good."
Swedish amateur Linn Grant returned back-to-back 69s to earn outright second place on four under ahead of her fellow amateur, Kaitlyn Papp (68), with Solheim Cup star Megan Khang and overnight-leader Amy Olson also on three under.
Kerr joined a large group on two under after a remarkable round featuring 16 pars and a pair of birdies at the eighth and 10th, although she revealed she was still struggling with the pain from her injuries.
The 43-year-old was driving a golf cart in darkness ahead of her second round at last week's Volunteers of America Classic when she apparently swerved to avoid another cart and collided with a pole, the impact ejecting her and her caddie from the cart and leaving Kerr with dislocated ribs.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
"I've definitely missed shots I would normally not miss because I'm in pain," said an emotional Kerr afterwards. "But it's actually kind of a nice mental place to be. I'm not happy how I got here, but maybe it's meant to teach me a lesson, I don't know. God moves in mysterious ways.
"It's hard to remember all of today's round. I played just pretty solid golf until the last five holes when my rib and everything back here just started really killing me. Kind of limped in, no pun intended, and when I got out of position, I got it on the green, made par.
"I hit a lot of really good shots and hit a lot of good putts that didn't go in or I couldn't quite get the spots on the greens. Just really solid fairways and greens and kind of hung on at the end."
Only 19 players completed 36 holes under par, but Hull was not among them after making three consecutive bogeys late in her second round at Cypress Creek, and she managed to hole from five feet to avoid a fourth dropped shot in a row at her last.
Hull had made a bright start with birdie at the 12th - her third - before a double-bogey at 14 and back-to-back bogeys at 17 and 18 saw her slip to one over for the tournament.
But she bounced back with four straight birdies from the first, only for her erratic finish to drop her back to level par for the week with a 73.
"I was hitting my irons good today, it's just my driver I wasn't hitting great, and that's where I made my bogeys," said Hull. "But every time I was in the fairway I gave myself a chance for a birdie.
"I feel like the greens are a little slower on Cypress. I struggled with the pace on the greens today. That was one of the main things. I left quite a few putts short.
"And I'm just going to work on my driver, because I wasn't hitting it very well today. So just iron that out and hopefully have a good day tomorrow."
