US Women & # 039; s Open: Hinako Shibuno takes the lead as Charley Hull slides back

Charley Hull is now seven shots behind Leader Hinako Shibuno -7 H Shibuno (Jpn); -4 L Grant (Swe); -3 A Olson, M Khang, K Papp (all US); -2 A Buhai (SA), M Jutanugarn, A Jutanugarn (both Tha), Y Saso (Phi), S Lewis, S Schmelzel, C Kerr, L Weaver (all US ) Selected others: Level C Hull, J Ewart Shadoff (both Eng), Jeong-eun Lee6 (Kor); +3 B Law (Eng); +7 G Hall, M Reid (both Eng)

Hinako Shibuno of Japan took the lead after the second round of the US Women's Open when England's Charley Hull walked back.

Shibuno, the 2019 Women's Open Champion, shot a four-under-67 to go to seven under in Houston.

She leads Swedish amateur Linn Grant with three strokes, with night leader Amy Olson one shot further back.

Olson & # 39; s fellow countrymen Megan Khang and amateur Kaitlyn Papp are also tied for third out of three.

As the tournament was first held in December, concerns about daylight ensured that the first two rounds were played across two courts at the Champions Club.

Shibuno, playing the Jackrabbit course on Friday, made six birdies and two bogeys for the lowest round of the day, but the 22-year-old said he was "not at all confident".

"It feels like this isn't me," she said, adding that it was "strange" to play the event behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Second round start times were also brought forward due to heavy rain and wind forecasts later in the day with many players struggling under the circumstances.

Olson, who shot 67 in the opening round, stayed four under overall until she doubled the 15th before throwing a shot back with a birdie last on Jackrabbit.

Hull, 24, played her second round on the Cypress Creek course and had an inconsistent day.

World No. 34 began with four consecutive birdies before closing three consecutive bogeys from the front nine. She had one birdie, two bogeys, and a double bogey on the back nine.

Ewart Shadoff, 32, carded three birdies and two bogeys in her one-over round of 72 on the Jackrabbit.

Reigning Champion Jeong-eun Lee6 also has a share of 20th with Hull and Ewart Shadoff.

Number one in the world Ko Jin-young is a shot further back to one over after a round of 70.

The English Bronte Law and Women's Open champion Sophia Popov has just made the cut to three over.

But former Women & # 39; s Open champion Georgia Hall, 24, will miss the weekend after finishing at seven, along with fellow English Mel Reid.

Hall shot a bogey-free three under 68, but it wasn't enough to make up for a disappointing opening round of 81.

The tournament, which features a $ 1 million inners' check (approximately £ 744,000), was scheduled to take place in June, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.