Tag: U.S. Womens Open 2020

U.S. Women’s Open: Nasty Sunday forecast forces USGA to move tee times up again

The threat of thunderstorms has forced USGA officials to move up tee times for Sunday’s final round of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open.

HOUSTON — The threat of thunderstorms has forced USGA officials to move up tee times for Sunday’s final round of the 75th U.S. Women’s Open Championship.

Sunday’s action is now scheduled to start at 8:45 a.m. EST (7:45 a.m. local) due to the anticipated inclement weather. Play will again start on both the first and 10th tees of Champions Golf Club’s Cypress Creek Course.

The USGA moved tee times up on Friday, and the move worked wonders as the second round was completed just before a massive downpour began. Organizers are hoping for similar results on Sunday, but it could be more challenging this time around. According to Weather.com, the chance for precipitation jumps above 80 percent around 9 a.m. and storms are expected to continue well into the afternoon.

[vertical-gallery id=778079668]

After some backlash about jumbled TV schedules on Friday, the broadcast window for Sunday’s play has been expanded — Golf Channel will now broadcast the final round from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, then NBC will take over until 5 p.m. ET or the conclusion.

If the round can’t be completed on Sunday, play will likely finish on Monday because there’s little chance of more rain, but it will be chilly — a cold front is expected to come through the area, leaving Monday’s high temperature in the low 50s.

[lawrence-related id=778080222,778080175,778080178,778080042]

 

Amateurs Linn Grant, Kaitlyn Papp in final group Saturday at 75th U.S. Women’s Open

Only one woman has ever won the U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur, and that was France’s Catherine Lacoste in 1967. Could another join her?

HOUSTON – Two years ago, Linn Grant found herself in the penultimate group of the U.S. Women’s Open on Saturday as an amateur. The young Swede pulled it left off the first tee at soggy Shoal Creek and knocked it back in the fairway. Her father, John, walked over to a sprinkler head and peered down at the 89. He thought it looked shorter than that, but the yardage book also had a notation of 89. Total yardage was 112 yards. Linn flushed a wedge that landed 20 yards over the green.

Turns out the 89 was really a 68. The indicator lined had blurred out in the mud.

“I didn’t really recover from that,” said Linn of the crushing blow. “I don’t think he did, either.”

The now 21-year-old Linn and her dad get a second crack at it this weekend in Houston, where the Arizona State sophomore sits alone in second place at the Women’s Open, three shots back of leader Hinako Shibuno.

USWO: Leaderboard | Photos

Kaitlyn Papp, a 22-year-old Texas native who has Longhorn coach, Kate Golden on the bag, holds a share of third.

Two more Swedish players, Ingrid Lindblad (T-14) and Maja Stark (T-20) are within striking distance. South Carolina’s Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (T-20) and Gabriela Ruffels of USC (T-29) round out the six amateurs who head to the weekend in Houston.

With no qualifying this year, the top amateurs in the world were guaranteed a start in the year’s final major. Of the 24 amateurs in this year’s field, 18 are ranked in the top 20.

Only one woman has ever won the U.S. Women’s Open as an amateur, and that was France’s Catherine Lacoste in 1967.

“Linn likes records,” said Swedish national coach Fredrik Wetterstrand.

The drive into Champions Golf Club features a number of familiar-sounding roads. There’s Muirfield Village Drive, Shinnecock Hills Drive and Cherry Hills Road, the latter of which harkens back memories of amateurs Morgan Pressel and Brittany Lang finishing runner-up to surprise winner Birdie Kim at the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open.

The 75th U.S. Women’s Open certainly has a Cherry Hills vibe – minus the electric galleries – with the number of amateurs currently in contention.

“I think the biggest difference for amateur golf to professional golf is scoring,” said Champions member Stacy Lewis, whose husband Gerrod Chadwell coaches the women’s golf program at Houston. “Amateurs are used to grinding for pars and maybe even par wins a tournament.

“I think amateurs struggle more, or at least I did when I went and played a professional tournament when 25 under was winning, and that’s not your mindset.”

Two years ago, Wetterstrand said, Grant said “someone is going to win this tournament, why shouldn’t it be me?”

Grant held a share of fourth at the midway point at Shoal Creek but ultimately wound up in a share of 57th.

“She wants to take revenge this time,” Wetterstrand said.

Grant won the 2017 British Amateur Stroke Play at North Berwick 49 years after her grandfather, James Grant, won the Scottish Boys Championship on the same course. James left Scotland to become a golf instructor in Sweden. John Grant played well enough to earn a scholarship to West Florida and played professionally for a bit.

“I know if you look at her Wikipedia site, it says I’m a (teaching) pro,” said John. “I’m not. There is another John Grant who is a pro at that golf club.”

John, for the record, is a financial advisor.

Not many players have tour winners on their bag, but in Golden, Papp has a woman who shot 63 in the final round of the State Farm Classic to beat Annika Sorenstam by a shot.

“I’ve talked to (Kaitlyn) about staying patient,” said Golden, “and she’s actually done it.”

After shooting even par on the front nine at Cypress Creek, Papp birdied three of her last five holes to leap into third place, including a chip-in on the 17th. This marks the first time she’s made the cut in a major. Seven Texans teed it up this week and so far Austin’s Papp is low Texan.

Papp’s afternoon plans include a final term paper for her undergraduate degree. On Thursday, Papp found out that she’d gotten into grad school at Texas for the sports management program.

Certainly not the typical routine of a Women’s Open contender.

If there was ever going to be a time an amateur broke through again at this championship, 2020 might be it, with no grandstands and no fans. No $1 million check on the line either.

“I’ve been in contention this year and it’s so much different,” said Lewis. “It’s so much easier. Normally at these U.S. Opens you’ve got the 18th hole, massive grandstands. Down the first tee, it’s lined with people.”

The final group on Saturday will feature two amateurs and Shibuno, an effervescent pro who stunned the world last year by winning the AIG Women’s British Open in her major championship debut.

It’s 2020. At this point, nothing would be a surprise.

[lawrence-related id=778080215,778080175,778080178,778080090]

U.S. Women’s Open: Saturday pairings, tee times and TV info

Check out Saturday pairings, tee times and TV info for the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open.

Hinako Shibuno fired a 4-under 67 Friday at Champions Golf Club’s Jackrabbit Golf Course to take a three-shot lead at the U.S. Women’s Open through 36 holes.

Shibuno sits ahead of amateur Linn Grant at 4 under. Grant shot a second-straight 69 Friday on the Jackrabbit course, finishing her round with four birdies.

Amateur Kaitlyn Papp, Megan Khang and Amy Olson are T-3 at 3 under followed by a group of eight golfers T-6 at 2 under including Cristie Kerr and Stacy Lewis. Kerr, who was involved in a golf cart accident last week at Old American Golf Club, shot a bogey-free 69 Friday on the Cypress Creek course. In her post-round press conference, the 43-year-old opened up about the pain she has experienced this week following her accident.

Among notable players to miss the cut are Kelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, Maria Fassi and Angela Stanford.

Check out third-round full pairings, tee times and television/streaming information below.

All times are listed in Eastern.

U.S. Women’s Open: USWO rookies | My first USWO

Tee times

1st tee, Cypress Creek

Time Players
9:45 a.m. Jin Young Ko, Danielle Kang, Gabi Ruffels
9:56 a.m. Hye-Jin Choi, Perrine Delacour, A Lim Kim
10:07 a.m. Jennifer Kupcho, Jeongeun Lee6, Charley Hull
10:18 a.m. Jenny Shin, Maja Stark, Pauline Roussin-Bouchard
10:29 a.m. Jodi Ewart Shadoff, MinYoung2 Lee, Ingrid Lindblad
10:40 a.m. Sei Young Kim, Lydia Ko, Lizette Salas
10:51 a.m. Yealimi Noh, Azahara Munoz, Yuka Saso
11:02 a.m. Moriya Jutanugarn, Ariya Jutanugarn, Stacy Lewis
11:13 a.m. Cristie Kerr, Ashleigh Buhai, Sarah Schmelzel
11:24 a.m. Lindsey Weaver, Amy Olson, Megan Khang
11:35 a.m. Kaitlyn Papp, Linn Grant, Hinako Shibuno

10th tee, Cypress Creek

Time Players
9:45 a.m. Cheyenne Knight, Inbee Park, Seon Woo Bae
9:56 a.m. Lauren Stephenson, Linnea Strom, Mone Inami
10:07 a.m. Kana Mikashima, Mina Harigae, Pernilla Lindberg
10:18 a.m. Anna Nordqvist, Hae Ran Ryu, Nasa Kataoka
10:29 a.m. Chella Choi, Bronte Law, Na Rin An
10:40 a.m. So Oh, Eri Okayama, Mi Hyang Lee
10:51 a.m. Mamiko Higa, Jennifer Song, Brittany Lincicome
11:02 a.m. Hannah Green, Minjee Lee, Brooke Henderson
11:13 a.m. Jessica Korda, So Yeon Ryu, Sophia Popov
11:24 a.m. Gaby Lopez, Madelene Sagstrom, Ally Ewing
11:35 a.m. Ji Young2 Kim, Sayaka Takahashi, Yui Kawamoto

How to watch

Note: Times listed are ET. Peacock has exclusive streaming rights.

Saturday, Dec. 12

TV

Golf Central Pre Game, 10-11 a.m., Golf Channel

Third round, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Golf Channel

Third round, 2:30-6 p.m., NBC

Golf Central, 6-7 p.m., Golf Channel

Streaming

Third round, 1-2:30 p.m., Peacock

Sunday, Dec. 13

TV

Golf Central Pre Game, 10-11 a.m., Golf Channel

Final round, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Golf Channel

Final round, 2-5 p.m., NBC

Golf Central, 5-6 p.m., Golf Channel

[vertical-gallery id=778079668]

Cristie Kerr manages pain, meds en route to a second-round 69 at U.S. Women’s Open

Cristie Kerr has something extra she’s trying to manage during this week’s U.S. Women’s Open — the pain from last week’s golf cart accident.

HOUSTON — On top of windy and wet conditions, a field of hungry young guns, and Bermuda rough that will gobble a golf ball in a heartbeat, Cristie Kerr has something else she’s trying to manage during this week’s 75th U.S. Women’s Open — the pain from last week’s golf cart accident.

When is it too much? When should she take her doctor-prescribed meds? When will it most affect her golf swing? And when does she need to simply gut it out and play?

For someone facing this many questions, Kerr certainly seems on point. Through two rounds she sits in a tie for sixth place, five shots behind leader Hinako Shibuno as the field reached the tournament’s midpoint at Champions Golf Club.

But after Friday’s solid 69 — one in which she played bogey-free golf on the difficult Cypress Creek course  — Kerr said keeping her focus on the simple things might be making all the difference.

USWO: Leaderboard | Photos

Rather than worrying about the pressure of playing in a major tournament, Kerr seemed content to slide in under the radar, hoping the field is underestimating what she has at her disposal.

“I’ve definitely missed shots I would normally not miss because I’m in pain, but it’s actually, it’s kind of a nice mental place to be,” Kerr said. “I’m not happy how I got here, but maybe it’s meant to teach me a lesson, I don’t know. God moves in mysterious ways.”

On Thursday, Kerr broke into tears while discussing the crash, offering details into the incident at the Old American Golf Club. Kerr spent several hours in the emergency room that night, suffering knee, arm and hand contusions while caddie Matt Gelczis suffered from whiplash.

She’s dealing with three displaced ribs, as well, which is why she’s using doctor-prescribed meds to help cut the pain when it flares up. On Thursday, she said she took one mid-round.

On Friday, Kerr mentioned that she took one before she started play and then a half-dose while on the course. The two-time major champ said it doesn’t help her loosen up, but it does put her at ease.

[vertical-gallery id=778079668]

“It doesn’t do anything to your golf swing. Maybe just mentally, you know you’re not going to be … it’s not going to be hurting a ton when you hit. But that’s the best answer I can give you,” she said. “You try to time it and space it so mentally you don’t get spacey on it.”

Of course, that’s the balance she needs to strike. If the pain is so great that Kerr can’t get through the ball, her play will suffer. But if she takes too many meds, she can easily lose her focus — or worse.

“You’ve got to be careful how much you take, as well. Like it can affect your breathing. But before with a full day … when I say one pill, it’s like a half of a normal dosage. Other people like would take, it’s like a 50-milligram pill of Tramadol,” she said. “It was a non-narcotic and now I don’t know where it sits on the list, but it’s doctor-approved and everything is fine, but that’s like half of a normal dose. Some people take 100-gram, so that’s a 50-gram pill, and then I just took a half on the golf course.”

Whatever line she’s walking, it seems to be working. Kerr posted birdies on Nos. 8 and 10, but played steady par golf the rest of the way, comfortably nestling her way into an eight-way tie for sixth.

She’s well within striking distance of Shibuno, who fired a 67 on Friday, and she wouldn’t have to leapfrog too many players if Shibuno started to fall — amateur Linn Grant is in second, just two shots ahead of Kerr.

Either way, she’s simply happy to be making a stand in what she called her favorite tournament.

“I mean, it definitely has lowered my expectations,” Kerr said. “I feel like I would have taken very high expectations and not gotten in the accident, but I guess that if you’re going to take something good away from it, I guess that’s one thing.”

[lawrence-related id=778079973,778079781,778079060]

Hinako Shibuno, Japan’s ‘Smiling Cinderella,’ commands three-shot lead at U.S. Women’s Open

The woman known as the “Smiling Cinderella” once again finds herself atop the board at a major, this time in her U.S. Women’s Open debut.

HOUSTON – Even with a mask on in her native Japan, Hinako Shibuno can’t go far without getting recognized. Her life quite literally changed overnight in the summer of 2019 when she won the AIG Women’s British Open while competing in her first LPGA major. It was, in fact, her first time playing anywhere outside of Japan, and she captured the hearts of British fans with her captivating smile and refreshingly quick pace-of-play.

“I turned from a normal person to a celebrity overnight,” said Shibuno, through an interpreter, of how life changed after that maiden victory.

The woman known as the “Smiling Cinderella” once again finds herself atop the board at a major, this time in her U.S. Women’s Open debut. The 22-year-old carded a 4-under 67 over the Jackrabbit Course at Champions Golf Club to move to 7-under 135 and take a three-shot lead over amateur Linn Grant of Sweden.

There are actually two amateurs in the top three in Texas, including Longhorn standout Kaitlyn Papp, who is among a trio at 3 under, four shots back. Papp birdied three of her last five holes take a share of third with Amy Olson and Megan Khang, two American LPGA vets still trying to win for the first time.

[vertical-gallery id=778079668]

While the board is peppered with names who’ve never hoisted a trophy at this level, three former No. 1s lurk five shots back: Cristie Kerr (69), Stacy Lewis (68) and Ariya Jutanugarn (70).

Lewis, of course, is a member at Champions and is sleeping in her own bed this week about 40 minutes away. The two-time major champion looks and sounds especially relaxed playing a hometown major.

“I just know how hard these golf courses play,” said Lewis of keeping her patience early on. “I know that you can’t make big numbers. That’s really what I’ve avoided so far this week is the big numbers.”

Going home at night to spend time with daughter Chesnee and husband Gerrod Chadwell also helps to take her mind off what’s at stake this week.

“I go home and I’m thinking about Christmas presents I need to buy for which people and what deliveries came today,” she said.

“It just has a different feel for me this year. Doesn’t necessarily feel like a U.S. Open.”

USWO: Leaderboard | Photos

Kerr’s ascent up the board comes as surprise given how uncertain it looked at the start of the week that she would even play. A golf cart accident last Friday at the LPGA stop in Dallas left the 20-time winner battered and bruised. The 2007 USWO champ fought through to a 69 on Friday at Cypress Creek and sits in a prime position to contend for a third major.

The Jutanugarn sisters ­– Ariya and Moriya – find themselves in a share of sixth. The Thai stars missed an LPGA stop in Florida last month after testing positive for COVID-19. The Jutanugarns are two of seven sets of sisters to have competed in the same U.S. Women’s Open.

Ariya won the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open. No sister act has ever pulled off a double-win.

With the 2021 Olympics coming to Japan, a second major title for Shibuno would rocket her fame into another stratosphere. Because she didn’t take up LPGA membership last summer, she’s had to rely on sponsor exemptions to get into regular-season events this year. She missed the cut at the Women’s British and finished outside the top 50 in her other two major starts.

Earlier this year, Shibuno indicated that she had planned to go to LPGA Q-School this fall until it was canceled due to COVID-19. She decided that she wanted to compete in the U.S. after she competed alongside So Yeon Ryu and Nasa Hataoka at the Japan Women’s Open Championship last October.

“I realized that they were on totally different levels with me,” she said. “That incident made me want to go to the U.S. and compete in more high-level tournaments.”

A victory this week would give Shibuno another chance to take up membership.

When asked if she would join, she smiled and said, “By all means, yes.”

[lawrence-related id=778080090,778080042]

Watch: Amateur Maja Stark holes out from fairway at U.S. Women’s Open: ‘Well, that was easy.’

The Oklahoma State product moved to 1 under for the tournament by holing out from the middle of the fairway on the 406-yard sixth hole.

HOUSTON — Ah, the innocence of youth.

Just a few strokes off the lead in her first U.S. Open, Oklahoma State’s Maja Stark jumped up the leaderboard on Friday morning in incredible fashion.

While playing the Cypress Creek course at Champions Golf Club, Stark — who hails from Abbekas, Sweden — moved to 1 under for the tournament by holing out from the middle of the fairway on the 406-yard sixth hole.

Making the moment even better. Stark turned to the few folks on hand and thanked them for their applause and then looked at her caddie Emma Whitaker before saying, “Well, that was easy.”

Stark, who is currently No. 14 on the Official World Golf Ranking’s list of women’s amateurs, had a solid opening day on the Jackrabbit course, sandwiching birdies around a single bogey. She was just one of a number of amateurs to post impressive opening-day scores.

But Stark made things more interesting on the harder Cypress Creek course early Friday, going bogey-bogey-birdie-bogey-eagle on a five-hole stretch.

Winning is nothing new to Stark, who captured a title in just her second collegiate start at Oklahoma State, winning the Hurricane Invitational.

[lawrence-related id=778080014,778079945,778079989]

U.S. Women’s Open: No push cart for Lindsey Weaver with fiancé Zach Wright on the bag

Lindsey Weaver has fiancé Zach Wright on the bag this week at the U.S. Women’s Open. She sits in 12th after Round 1.

[jwplayer WiPYErQg-9JtFt04J]

HOUSTON – For most of the 2020 season, Lindsey Weaver has used a push cart at LPGA events. But for these last two weeks on tour, she’s had fiancé Zach Wright on the bag. Wright, a Korn Ferry Tour player who played college golf at LSU, wrapped up his competitive season and took on a second job. He’s been saying all week that the 75th U.S. Women’s Open is his first major.

At least week’s Volunteers of America Classic, close to the couple’s Dallas-area home, Weaver posted her best finish of the season with Wright on the bag, a share of eighth.

“When I caddie for him, it’s just like I kind carry the bag,” said Weaver. “I’m mental support and that’s about it. But he’s like, no it’s 8-iron. We make decisions together. When he caddies it’s way more intense than when I caddie for him.”

Weaver, 27, opened with a 1-under 70 over the Jackrabbit Course, good for a share of 12th, despite hitting her second shot out the day out of bounds.

USWO: Leaderboard | Photos | TV info

“Mentally I knew there was a lot of golf left,” said Weaver. “You can’t really get too down or yourself with this golf course or it kind of eats you alive.”

The Arizona grad rebounded with a chip-in for birdie on the par-3 fourth and drained a 30-footer on the 17th.

While Weaver said she wishes she could steal a bit of her fiance’s power (he averages 315 yards on the Korn Ferry Tour), 27-year-old Wright said he’d take Weaver’s putting stroke. Weaver, with the help of a putting arc her father made for her at age 12, has been helping Wright on the greens for a couple years now. Wright has his own arc now.

This marks Weaver’s first U.S. Women’s Open in five years and her third overall. She tied for 19th at the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon and was in contention heading into the weekend. She’s one of seven players from Texas in the field this week.

The couple of pros plan to get married next December.

[lawrence-related id=778080030,778080014,778079945,778079973,778079989]

No CME sponsor invites for Sophia Popov or Jin Young Ko; both must play their way in at U.S. Women’s Open

Sophia Popov and Jin Young Ko need strong finishes this week at Champions Golf Club to earn their starts at the CME Group Tour Championship.

HOUSTON ­– The last two events on the LPGA’s 2020 calendar are worth a combined $8.5 million in prize money. The winner of this week’s U.S. Women’s Open earns $1 million and next week’s CME Group Tour Championship gets $1.1 million. Needless to say, it’s a big finish.

Sophia Popov, the 2020 AIG Women’s British Open winner and World No. 1 Jin Young Ko need strong finishes this week at Champions Golf Club to earn their starts in Naples, Florida. The field at the CME was increased to 72 this year (up from 60 last year) and two sponsor exemptions were added. Those exemptions went to CME ambassador Sarah Kemp and veteran Natalie Gulbis.

Popov would need at least a 14th-place finish at the Women’s Open to have a chance at making the field at the CME. She opened with a 2-under 69 at the Cypress Creek Course and sits in a share of fifth place.

USWO: Leaderboard | Photos | TV info

“It was a great year for me, and it’s something that I would have loved to play CME just because it’s Naples, it’s my hometown, and every year I’ve been there watching the girls and watching my friends,” said Popov. “I felt like this year I definitely deserved to be there, and I’m still not in. I have to wait another year … or not. Let’s see how the next three days go.”

Ko spent most of 2020 back home in South Korea competing on the KLPGA. She returned to the LPGA at the Pelican Women’s Championship last month and is making her third start of the year this week in Houston. Ko shot 2-over 73 on Cypress and is T-55. She needs to finish in the top 4 this week to have a chance.

Ally Ewing ranks fifth on the CME points list but won’t be in the field due to her brother’s wedding. Marina Alex will miss as well due to injury. That puts Brittany Lincicome and Maria Torres as the last two in the field through the Volunteers of America Classic.

Other notable names currently outside the top 70 include: Angel Yin, Annie Park, Sung Hyun Park and Morgan Pressel.

[lawrence-related id=778080014,778079945,778079973,778079646]

U.S. Women’s Open: Amy Olson aces her way to opening-round lead

A total of 23 players broke par at Champions Golf Club, where the Open is being contested over two courses for the first time in history.

HOUSTON – Amy Olson faded an 8-iron into the par-3 16th at Cypress Creek, landing the ball two paces short of the flag to a tucked hole location on the right side of the green. She could see the ball trickle into the hole from 141 yards away. Olson, 28, threw her hands in the air and screamed, “Yes!” as she walked toward her caddie.

There was a slight cheer from the few folks on hand, but even aces are celebrated low-key style in the pandemic age. Still, it was a shot to remember for the Day 1 leader at the 75th U.S. Women’s Open. Olson topped the field of 156 at 4-under 67. Yu Jin Sung delivered the day’s second ace from 169 yards on the fourth hole at Cypress. She jumped up and down with glee.

A total of 23 players broke par on a sun-splashed Champions Golf Club, where the championship is being contested over two courses for the first time in history. The Cypress Creek course (74.590) played a full stroke harder than Jackrabbit (73.462) in the first round.

“I definitely allowed myself to celebrate there and enjoy the moment,” said Olson. “Honestly, pace of play was really slow out there today, so I had some time to kind of calm myself and come back to it.”

USWO: Leaderboard | Photos | TV info

A trio of players trails Olson by one stroke, including 2019 AIG Women’s British Open winner Hinako Shibuno, Moriya Jutanugarn and A Lim Kim.

Amateur Linn Grant of Sweden is among those in a share of fifth at 2 under, along with 2020 AIG Women’s British Open winner Sophia Popov, Charley Hull, Gerina Piller and 19-year-old Yuka Saso of the Philippines.

Piller finished T-5 at last year’s U.S. Women’s Open but has struggled for much of the 2020 season. The Texas resident took time away from the tour in 2018 after giving birth to son A.J.

“After coming back from having the baby, I think my body, you may not see it physically, but I know it’s changed and my swing has changed, and it’s taken me a while to kind of get comfortable in that,” said Piller, who played the Jackrabbit course, “and I’m 35 years old, there’s no need to try to reinvent the wheel here.”

Champions founder Jack Burke Jr., the oldest living Masters champion, was on the first tee to watch Texas native Angela Stanford hit the opening tee shot on the Cypress Creek. Stanford won the LPGA stop in Dallas last week but struggled mightily on Thursday, making two double-bogeys in her first four holes. She opened with a 9-over 80.

Stacy Lewis, a Houston resident who grew up playing tournaments at Champions as a kid and is now a member, shot 1-over 72 at Cypress Creek.

“I know I’m not out of this thing by any means,” said the former No. 1, “but I do need to play a good round tomorrow.”

Lewis planned to grill hamburgers or steak at home with her family and try to get her daughter, Chesnee, to bed on time. She can’t get over the simplicity of playing a major at home.

[vertical-gallery id=778079668]

Olson is here on her own this week. Her husband, Grant, and parents plan to join her at next week’s CME Group Tour Championship. Grant is a linebackers coach at their alma mater, North Dakota State, where Olson won an NCAA record-tying 20 times. With football season being pushed to the spring, Grant wanted to get in a little hunting. If it weren’t for COVID-19 testing protocols, he would most likely have come on the weekend.

Being on top of the board at a USWO isn’t entirely new to Olson, who led a rain-delayed Round 1 at the 2011 championship at The Broadmoor when she was a junior in college. The 2009 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion said she had a carefree attitude back then and likely didn’t think much about it.

While she has contended in several majors in her time on tour, most notably finishing runner-up to Stanford at the 2018 Evian Championship. Olson admits that given how easy the wins came in her amateur career that expected to hoist a trophy early on in her LPGA career.

Lewis said Champions’ courses suit Olson in particular because her high ball-flight presents a distinct advantage. Past experience helps, too.

“It has been, I think, a test of my patience,” she said. “But the biggest thing I’ve learned is just perspective and what do I consider success, and at the end of my life it’s not going to be a number of tournaments that I’ve won, it’s how I live my life, so trying to maintain that perspective, I think, is really important for me.”

[lawrence-related id=778079945,778079973,778079989,778079646]

Weather is about to become a factor at the 75th U.S. Women’s Open

Thunderstorms are expected to roll into the area on Friday afternoon, and the USGA moved up tee times by about 90 minutes.

HOUSTON — As Mark Gillman stood on the first tee at Champions Golf Club’s Jackrabbit course, waiting for his daughter Kristen to start her round, he lamented the picture-perfect conditions that greeted those in attendance.

“We’d hoped it would be hotter than heck,” he said.

Gillman, who lives a few hours west in Austin, assumed his daughter — who struggled in shooting a first-round 79 — would have held a greater advantage if the event was played in the June calendar slot it originally owned. But instead of suffocating, late-spring Texas heat, Thursday brought vivid blue skies and comfortable temperatures to Champions, making the opening round of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open feel like a vacation for the few who were on-site.

Weather is likely to become a factor, however. Even if it’s not in the way Mark Gillman had hoped.

Thunderstorms are expected to roll into the area on Friday afternoon, and USGA organizers have taken note, moving tee times for the second round up about 90 minutes. The first groups will go off now at 9 a.m. CT.

USWO: Leaderboard | Photos | TV info

And while the rains will likely be a nuisance, the real issue could be winds gusting up over 20 miles per hour. Because of the smaller daylight window, the opening two rounds of this U.S. Open are being held on both of the courses at Champions, the first time this tournament has ever been played on multiple courses.

But of the 37 players who finished at even 71 or better, 23 played on the Jackrabbit course, which is a shorter track than neighboring Cypress Creek, but has smaller greens.

If the winds pick up on Friday that might give an advantage to those who played Jackrabbit first, if only because it won’t allow second-round players to take advantage of the “easier” of the two courses.

But Stacy Lewis, who is a member at Champions, said she doesn’t think there is an advantage one way or the other.

“I don’t think so. I mean, I think it’s going to be more the difference of playing one golf course wet and not wet, and I don’t know if there is or if there isn’t an advantage there,” said Lewis, who shot a 1-over 72 on Cypress Creen on Thursday. “I guess we’ll find out tomorrow.”

[vertical-gallery id=778079668]

The weather might continue to hog the spotlight through the weekend. Sunday’s forecast also includes plenty of rain, the chance of precipitation for the scheduled final round is 70 percent.

For some, like Brittany Lincicome, any sign of wet weather is an impediment.

“Obviously, rain is not going to be helpful. At least it should be warm, which is nice, but the rain really like screws with me,” said Lincicome, who was near the top of the leaderboard before making double-bogey on the 18th hole. “One little drop of rain on my club it like drives me crazy. So Missy, my caddie, is going to have to do a really good job of keeping everything dry.”

[lawrence-related id=778079973,778079989,778079879,778079577]