(Photo credit score: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports)
Hinako Shibuno of Japan birdied three of her closing 4 holes Thursday to take the lead after the primary spherical of the Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Shibuno fired an 8-under-par 64 that put her two pictures away from Madelene Sagstrom of Sweden. A bunch of three tied for third place at 4-under — Nicole Broch Estrup of Denmark, Caroline Hedwall of Sweden and Caroline Inglis, the one American among the many high 9 within the subject.
After beginning her opening spherical on the again 9, Shibuno birdied her first gap of the day then reeled off 4 consecutive birdies from Nos. 13-16. She made the flip at 5 underneath and pulled off a stretch of seven consecutive pars earlier than her birdie run to finish her spherical.
“I surprised myself with the four birdies in a row,” Shibuno stated.
Her strong spherical got here regardless of a lingering finger difficulty.
“The ground is firm, firmer, than a normal course but if you hit low and solid, my finger is not getting hurt,” Shibuno stated. “So I’m just being relaxed and more thinking about sequence, the swing.”
Shibuno, who gained the 2019 Women’s Open, has seven skilled wins, with six of these in Japan. She has not gained an occasion since 2021.
Sagstrom, the runner-up on the 2021 Women’s Open, additionally began her day on the again 9, the place she reeled off three consecutive birdies to start her spherical. She made the flip at 4-under, then bogeyed the par-4 first gap earlier than closing with three birdies over her closing seven holes.
“It started really solid with three birdies right away,” stated Sagstrom, who’s making a push to be included within the Solheim Cup. “Made some really good iron shots today. It kept the driver in play and not fantastic, but I think my iron shots kept me in it. I made some easy putts and overall a pretty easy day.”
Estrup began her spherical with a bogey on the primary gap, however poured in three birdies earlier than making the flip. Birdies at Nos. 15 and 17 distanced herself from the sluggish begin.
Hedwall had 4 birdies and no bogeys on the day, closing her spherical with a birdie 3 at No. 9. Inglis had a pair of birdies on either side.
“I think Scottish golf is always interesting because you have to get really creative with the wind and I tried to like pick conservative targets and make decisive swings at them,” stated Inglis, whose season was interrupted by a again damage. “And then I made a few putts, which is nice. … I had a lot of lag putts today, and speed was a little off but was able to make a lot of the come-backers, so that was nice.”
Defending champion Ayaka Furue of Japan struggled in her opening spherical with a bogey and two double bogeys to shoot a 2-over-par 74. She is tied for 54th after the opening spherical.
France’s Celine Boutier, who gained the ultimate main of the season final week on the Evian Championships, completed in a bunch of 4 tied for sixth place at 3-under after a spherical that included a bogey and two birdies over her closing six holes.
–Field Level Media