Japan’s Hinako Shibuno, victorious in the 2019 British Open, surrendered a 67 card on Friday to take the lead in the US Open, one of the five major women’s tournaments, three strokes ahead of her closest rivals.

Only 22 years old, Shibuno is seven strokes under par after 36 holes on the Champions Golf Club course in Houston, Texas.
Shibuno made six birdies and only did two bogeys on the Jackrabbit course, one of the two used for the first two laps, but she said she did not feel “at all confident” and that his way of playing “didn’t look like him”.
The first chaser is a Swedish amateur player, Linn Grant, 21 years old. She had two laps in a row in 69 and found herself alone in second ahead of Americans Amy Olson, Megan Khang and Kaitlyn Papp.
The weather conditions in December (rain and wind) did not help some players, also destabilized by the fact that this Major, initially scheduled for June, is being played behind closed doors. “It’s funny not hearing anything when you birdie,” said Shibuno, a four-time winner last year on the Japanese LPGA Tour.
The 75th edition of the US Open, endowed with $ 5.5 million, was normally scheduled for June 4-7, but was postponed until the end of the year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.