Japan’s Mika Miyazato fired a four-under par 67 on Saturday to seize a one-stroke lead over compatriot Ai Miyazato after the second round of the thunderstorm-disrupted US Women’s Open. No Japanese man or woman has ever claimed a US Open golf crown but the Miyazato pair, who are not related but both from Okinawa, have made themselves the players to catch over the high-altitude Broadmoor par-71 layout.
“I can’t believe it still, so I’m a little bit nervous but so excited,” Mika Miyazato said about leading a Major after 36 holes on five-under par 137. Thunderstorms Thursday and Friday prevented completion of the second round until Saturday afternoon, with the cut at six-over 149 leaving 72 players to finish the final 36 holes.
Another storm struck Saturday after only 12 players had managed to tee off in the third round, forcing officials to postpone the resumption of play until Sunday morning as a weekend finish become more and more unlikely. Mika Miyazato birdied the par-5 third, par-3 fourth and par-4 fifth holes and added back-to-back birdies at the par-5 ninth and par-4 10th before suffering her only bogey of the round at the par-4 13th. “I’m so happy. I played so well… almost perfect,” she said. “My play was so well, aggressive golf today.” Mika, who is donating her prize money from major events to the Japan earthquake relief effort, has plenty of success in common this week with former world number one Ai, her playing partner for the third round. “Everybody thinks we’re sisters,” Mika Miyazato said. “I think that way everybody could remember me, because Ai is playing great. In a way it’s good for me because everybody think we’re sisters and they could remember me. “We’re good friends and I think she’s a great player. Playing together should be good for both of us. I’m looking forward to it.” Ai Miyazato birdied the third and answered a bogey at 11 with a birdie at the par-3 12th. She then sank a pair of testing birdie putts between six and eight feet on the par-5 17th and par-5 18th to finish a round of 68 and take sole ownership of second place, one spot ahead of South Korean I.K. Kim. She is also looking forward to playing the third round with her namesake. “It’s really fun to play with her always. And especially in this tournament,” Ai Miyazato said. “It’s really, really exciting.” Ai Miyazato, who has yet to win a title this season after claiming five in 2010, was already feeling the grind of a stop-and-start week.
“I missed a few fairways but I got really good up-and-down like almost five times, so that’s why I think I made the birdies coming in towards the end, because I was very patient during the round,” Ai Miyazato said.
“But it’s really, really tough to play. I’m kinda tired already.” Kim was alone in third on 139, two strokes ahead of Americans Stacy Lewis and Ryann O’Toole. Sharing sixth on level par 142 were South Koreans Sun Young Yoo and Eun-Hee Ji and Americans Wendy Ward, Lizette Salas, Angela Stanford and Paula Creamer, the defending champion. World No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan fired back-to-back 73s to stand nine off the pace.
