Hinako Shibuno admits she wasn’t quite prepared to become Japan’s biggest sporting celebrity almost overnight on the back of her AIG Women’s Open victory last year.
The “Smiling Cinderella” went to the ball big-time with her victory at Woburn in her first competitive outing outside her home country, and returned home to crowds at the airport in Tokyo and her face on every news stand.
Even during the Rugby World Cup a few weeks after her victory it was Shibuno rather than the Brave Blossoms national team on every magazine cover in the shops throughout Japan.
“Looking at myself on the magazines and the newspapers, it really felt unreal – it didn’t feel like it was me,” she said on arrival to defend her title at Royal Troon.
“Appearing in front of so many people at the airport when I returned, it was something that I only ever saw on TV before, so it really gave me goosebumps. It was a great experience.
“But what was difficult about getting that attention was that by winning a major, I had set a higher expectation on myself. It was kind of difficult to cope with reality and the high expectations that I had set on myself.”
Women’s golf is much more popular than the men’s game in Japan, hence Hinako’s elevation to superstar status where she can barely walk down the street. But she’s held fast to her philosophy that she needs to be positive and flashing that smile.
“Winning the Women’s Open last year made me realise, once again, the importance of playing with a smile on my face,” she said.
“And this week, it’s going to be windy and there’s some rain to be expected and the course is going to play out very differently depending on the wind, so I’m going to have to play smart. But at the same time, as defending champion I’m going to enjoy it, and also I want to show a new part of the game this year.”
She watched the final round of the men’s Open in 2016 and thinks the course – and the famed short Postage Stamp 8th hole – look a whole not narrower than they did on TV.
“I do have that impression of the links course being very windy, having to experience various weathers in a day, but I’ve been fully preparing myself to play well over here,” she said.
With the weather forecast promising severe wind for later in the week, it seems like Royal Troon will be as formidable as ever for its first women’s major championship, but for in-form favourite Danielle Kang, you can bring that on now.
The feisty American didn’t quite trust herself in the adaptation to links golf last week but still finished only a shot light of the play-off for the Ladies Scottish Open and a third successive LPGA Tour victory. She expects to be more decisive with the conditions and green speed this week.
“We’ve had beautiful weather the last couple days, and today the sun is out but I don’t think we are going to get that for the rest of the week, so I’m kind of excited to see what this golf course is going to challenge us to do,” she said.
“I hit the ball so well last week, and I think that set me up for this week. I got a good feel for links golf, the bounces and the rolls that we are going to get.
“Last week we had really great weather for four days. The greens were a bit slower than this week, so I think one of the things that I come here to do was to get used to the green speed and around the greens.
“I don’t underestimate Royal Troon, either. You have to be straight here, at the Postage Stamp and the 17th, you just can’t miss left or right.”
Dame Laura Davies will hit the first shot of the championship on Thursday, the R&A neatly moving their recent “honorary starter” tradition from the men’s Open.
Georgia Hall is particularly keen to see her great friend and mentor play in the championship.
“She’s a great friend and person, and an idol to look up to,” said the 2018 champion. “I actually texted her last night saying, `oh, look at you hitting the first tee shot; don’t hold us up’.
“She’s great fun and obviously she still loves playing the game. It’s amazing. I pulled up to the car park and as 2018 champion I have my space, and I look down the row and it’s Laura in the 1986 spot. I had a joke with her that I was born ten years after she won, and she found that funny.”
