Japan’s Mamiko Higa on Friday birdied her final hole in fading light to maintain her lead at the US Women’s Open Championship, where the second round was delayed for two hours due to thunderstorms and then suspended because of darkness.
The 25-year-old, who is ranked 49th in the world, kept a one-stroke lead from the first round when she shot the lowest debut round in tournament history: a six-under 65.
“I was really happy because I could finish up a tough day with a birdie,” Higa said. “I was so happy.”
Photo: AP
Higa on Friday rolled in a birdie on the par-five ninth hole for an even-par 71 and a two-round total of six-under 136 to lead American Jessica Korda, who shot a bogey-free three-under 68.
There were 45 players still on the Country Club of Charleston course in South Carolina when play was suspended.
Players had to endure a two-hour weather delay, which included lightning striking a large elm tree along the 18th fairway. There were several people standing nearby when the bolt hit, but no one was injured.
Higa is the first Japanese player to lead the tournament since 2011, when Mika Miyazato shot a 67 to top the leaderboard heading into the weekend.
Gina Kim, who shot a 72, and Celine Boutier, who was at four-under on the tournament with four holes to go in her round, were tied for third.
Several of the LPGA Tour’s top players were just a couple strokes back of Higa, including Australia’s Lee Min-jee (69) and two-time US Women’s Open winner Inbee Park (70), who were both at two-under.
World No. 8, Lexi Thompson, the top-ranked American at the competition, was at three-under overall with two holes remaining.
Higa struggled with four birdies and four bogeys in a mixed second round. She made consecutive bogeys to start her back nine, but recovered with back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth holes before adding another birdie on the par-five ninth.
Korda, who was one of the early starters, also began on the back nine. Her round featured birdies on two of the three par-fives and another the par-three 17th.
Korda is seeking her first major championship win, but said that she is going to need some luck.
“That’s what you play for,” Korda said. “At the same time, I feel a lot of luck is always a big part of winning a major championship, making the most putts and the least amount of mistakes.”
“It’s really hard to win out here. I think everybody can see that, watching us week in week out. Solid golf will always put me up top. If I have a chance, I’ll try to take it,” she added.
Among those left to finish yesterday was defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, who was two-over with two holes to go.
Nelly Korda, Jessica’s sister, was at three-under overall and tied for fifth with three holes to play in the second round.
Taiwan’s Chien Pei-yun carded a five-under 66 to jump into a share of 17th on one-under 141, while Hsu Wei-ling was in a group tied for 33rd on one-over 143.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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