Japan’s Mamiko Higa said she wasn’t nervous holding the first-round lead at the U.S. Women’s Open. Now she has given her nerves a much bigger test.
Higa shot an even-par 71 to maintain her edge in the year’s second major. She rallied with three birdies on her final six holes to move in front of Jessica Korda and Celine Boutier and hold the lead at the tournament’s halfway point.
Higa, a 25-year-old known as part of a Japanese sports power couple with sumo wrestler husband Ikioi Shota, wasn’t worried after her opening surprise 65, the lowest debut round in tournament history.
“After I finished [Thursday] night I didn’t feel that much pressure. I wasn’t nervous,” she said through an interpreter.
Higa showed those steely nerves after the rain delay of 1 hour, 58 minutes. Trailing Korda by a shot, she rolled in an 11-footer for birdie on her first stroke back.
She followed that with two more birdies, both of which moved her in front of Korda and into the lead after 36 holes at the Country Club of Charleston. On her final hole, the ninth, with darkness closing in, Higa struck a 14-footer for birdie.
“I feel very lucky that I could finish up 18 holes today so that I can recover well for tomorrow,” she said.
On Saturday morning, 45 players returned to the course to finish their second rounds. The tournament announced that players will go off in threesomes to ensure they get the third round in.
Korda shot a 68, her lowest score in 38 career rounds in the major tournament.
American amateur Gina Kim had a 72 to sit two shots back at 4 under.
Lexi Thompson was among five players at 3 under. Also at 3 under were American Jaye Marie Green and South Korea’s Jeongeun Lee6. Green shot a 68, and Lee6 — who adopted her unique name after the Korean LPGA dubbed her with it because five other players had registered with the same name — shot a 69.
Two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Inbee Park was among a group of eight at 2 under after her second straight 70.
World No. 1 Jinyoung Ko was at even par after a 70, and defending tournament champion Ariya Jutanugarn was at 3 over.
Jessica Korda finished her bogey-free performance — just her fifth sub-70 showing in 38 career rounds of this major — well before thunderstorms caused a nearly two-hour weather delay.
Korda, playing in milder morning conditions, did not get her round going until making a birdie on the par-5 15th hole — she opened on the back nine — and followed that with another on the par-3 17th.
Her final birdie came on the par-5 fifth as she came just short of the green in two then chipped up within 3 feet to move to 5-under as she finished before Higa teed off.
Korda planned to be more aggressive on the par-5s and accomplished that with birdies on two of the three on Charleston’s par-71 layout. She left her approach on the final par-5, the ninth hole, about 40 feet away and settled for par.
She was happy with her approach to not get ahead of herself.
“It’s a U.S. Open,” she said. “Patience is the name of the game.”
New professionals Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi were both inside the cut line of 3 over. Kupcho, the Augusta National women’s amateur champion, is 1 over. Fassi, the NCAA women’s individual champ, is 3 over.
Past champions Paula Creamer and Cristie Kerr were among those not making the cut.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.