By Newspot Nigeria Sports Desk
Japan’s Hinako Shibuno has moved firmly into contention at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open after reaching three-under-par through two rounds at Riviera Country Club.
Shibuno sits tied for third, just one shot behind joint leaders Alison Lee of the United States and China’s Ruoning Yin, who are both on four-under. The championship, which carries a $12 million purse, is being played from June 4 to 7 at Riviera Country Club in California.
Top Leaderboard After Round Two
| Position | Player | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Alison Lee | USA | -4 |
| T1 | Ruoning Yin | China | -4 |
| T3 | Hyo Joo You | South Korea | -3 |
| T3 | Gaby López | Mexico | -3 |
| T3 | Sei Young Kim | South Korea | -3 |
| T3 | In Gee Chun | South Korea | -3 |
| T3 | Jennifer Kupcho | USA | -3 |
| T3 | Hinako Shibuno | Japan | -3 |
| T9 | Nelly Korda | USA | -2 |
| T9 | Lauren Coughlin | USA | -2 |
| T9 | Casandra Alexander | South Africa | -2 |
| T9 | Shoko Kamiya | Japan | -2 |
World No. 1 Nelly Korda remains in the hunt after climbing to two-under, while several major winners are still close enough to threaten over the weekend.
One of the biggest stories away from the leaderboard is Lexi Thompson’s absence. Thompson missed the U.S. Women’s Open for the first time in 20 years, ending a run of 19 straight appearances that began when she qualified as a 12-year-old in 2007.
Michelle Wie West also drew attention after missing the cut in what is widely expected to be her final competitive start. The 2014 U.S. Women’s Open champion shot 75-74 but said she was grateful to compete pain-free and have her family present.
With Lee and Yin narrowly ahead, Shibuno, Kupcho, Kim, Chun and others are now set for a tense weekend battle at Riviera. The cut fell at four-over, leaving the field trimmed and the championship race wide open.
— Newspot Nigeria
