U.S. Women’s Open – Heading into moving day

USGA

 

Peter Koutroumpis

editor@trianglesportsnet.com

HOUSTON, TEXAS – Hinako Shibuno leads the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open heading into Saturday’s third round of play at the Champions Golf Club in Houston, Texas.

Winning the Women’s British Open in her first start in that championship last year (2019), she will try to become the fifth player to win in her U.S. Women’s Open debut.

Shibuno leads by three strokes, the sixth time since 2000 that a player has led by three or more at the halfway point.

LEADERBOARD

North Carolina ties

Only two of the previous five leaders in that group – Karrie Webb (Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club) in 2001 and Michelle Wie in 2014 (Pinehurst Resort No. 2) – went on to win.

Recent history says there is still a long way to go to decide a winner.

No 36-hole leader or co-leader has won the U.S. Women’s Open since Wie did so in 2014 on the famed No. 2 course.

Each of the last five champions was at least three strokes back at the halfway point, with two of them (Duke alumna Brittany Lang in 2016 and Sung Hyun Park in 2017) coming from seven shots off the lead.

One past champion’s perseverance is not just inspiring, but also has her in contention headed to the weekend.

Cristie Kerr, 2007 U.S. Women’s Open champion at Pine Needles, shot 69 on Friday despite undergoing extensive treatment for injuries suffered in a golf cart accident last week.

Incredibly, Kerr leads the field in greens in regulation through two rounds, with 30 of 36 (83 percent).

At T-6, Kerr has her best 36-hole position in the U.S. Women’s Open in eight years.

Notables: Duke alumnae Brittany Lang (+4), Celine Boutier (+4), Yu Liu (+9), and Ana Belac (+10) missed the cut (+3)…Wake Forest senior Emilia Miglaccio, from Cary, N.C. (Athens Drive), also missed the cut (+9).

U.S. Women’s Open – Third Round Pairings

1st Tee

09:45 a.m. — Jin Young Ko, Republic of Korea , 73-70 143, +1; Danielle Kang, Las Vegas, Nev. , 72-71 143, +1; Gabriela Ruffels (a), Australia , 71-72 143, +1

09:56 a.m. — Hyejin Choi, Republic of Korea , 70-73 143, +1; Perrine Delacour, France , 72-71 143, +1; A Lim Kim, Republic of Korea , 68-74 142, E

10:07 a.m. — Jennifer Kupcho, Westminster, Colo. , 70-72 142, E; Jeongeun Lee6, Republic of Korea , 73-69 142, E; Charley Hull, England , 69-73 142, E

10:18 a.m. — Jenny Shin, Republic of Korea , 72-70 142, E; Maja Stark (a), Sweden , 70-72 142, E; Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (a), France , 70-72 142, E

10:29 a.m. — Jodi Ewart Shadoff, England , 70-72 142, E; Minyoung2 Lee, Republic of Korea , 74-68 142, E; Ingrid Lindblad (a), Sweden , 72-69 141, -1

10:40 a.m. — Sei Young Kim, Republic of Korea , 72-69 141, -1; Lydia Ko, New Zealand , 71-70 141, -1; Lizette Salas, Azusa, Calif. , 72-69 141, -1

10:51 a.m. — Yealimi Noh, Concord, Calif. , 72-69 141, -1; Azahara Munoz, Spain , 71-70 141, -1; Yuka Saso, Philippines , 69-71 140, -2

11:02 a.m. — Moriya Jutanugarn, Thailand , 68-72 140, -2; Ariya Jutanugarn, Thailand , 70-70 140, -2; Stacy Lewis, The Woodlands, Texas , 72-68 140, -2

11:13 a.m. — Cristie Kerr, Scottsdale, Ariz. , 71-69 140, -2; Ashleigh Buhai, South Africa , 71-69 140, -2; Sarah Schmelzel, Phoenix, Ariz. , 71-69 140, -2

11:24 a.m. — Lindsey Weaver, Celina, Texas , 70-70 140, -2; Amy Olson, Fargo, N.D. , 67-72 139, -3; Megan Khang, Rockland, Mass. , 70-69 139, -3

11:35 a.m. — Kaitlyn Papp (a), Austin, Texas , 71-68 139, -3; Linn Grant (a), Sweden , 69-69 138, -4; Hinako Shibuno, Japan , 68-67 135, -7

10th Tee

09:45 a.m. — Cheyenne Knight, Aledo, Texas , 75-69 144, +2; Inbee Park, Republic of Korea , 71-72 143, +1; Seon Woo Bae, Republic of Korea , 75-68 143, +1;

09:56 a.m. — Lauren Stephenson, Lexington, S.C. , 72-72 144, +2; Linnea Strom, Sweden , 69-75 144, +2; Mone Inami, Japan , 73-71 144, +2

10:07 a.m. — Kana Mikashima, Japan , 75-69 144, +2; Mina Harigae, Monterey, Calif. , 70-74 144, +2; Pernilla Lindberg, Sweden , 74-70 144, +2

10:18 a.m. — Anna Nordqvist, Sweden , 73-71 144, +2; Hae Ran Ryu, Republic of Korea , 72-72 144, +2; Nasa Hataoka, Japan , 71-73 144, +2

10:29 a.m. — Chella Choi, Republic of Korea , 73-72 145, +3; Bronte Law, England , 73-72 145, +3; Narin An, Republic of Korea , 72-72 144, +2

10:40 a.m. — Su Oh, Australia , 75-70 145, +3; Eri Okayama, Japan , 76-69 145, +3; Mi Hyang Lee, Republic of Korea , 72-73 145, +3

10:51 a.m. — Mamiko Higa, Japan , 73-72 145, +3; Jennifer Song, Orlando, Fla. , 77-68 145, +3; Brittany Lincicome, Seminole, Fla. , 70-75 145, +3

11:02 a.m. — Hannah Green, Australia , 72-73 145, +3; Minjee Lee, Australia , 74-71 145, +3; Brooke Henderson, Canada , 72-73 145, +3

11:13 a.m. — Jessica Korda, Jupiter, Fla. , 72-73 145, +3; So Yeon Ryu, Republic of Korea , 72-73 145, +3; Sophia Popov, Germany , 69-76 145, +3

11:24 a.m. — Gaby Lopez, Mexico , 74-71 145, +3; Madelene Sagstrom, Sweden , 74-71 145, +3; Ally Ewing, Fulton, Miss. , 73-72 145, +3

11:35 a.m. — Ji Yeong Kim2, Republic of Korea , 75-70 145, +3; Sayaka Takahashi, Japan , 73-72 145, +3; Yui Kawamoto, Japan , 73-72 145

Peter Koutroumpis: 401-323-8960, @pksport