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The 20-year-old Japanese rank outsider, who
earned her nickname because of her radiant smile, rammed home a
lengthy birdie putt of just under 20 feet at the final hole to
edge out American Lizette Salas by one stroke.
Playing outside Japan for the first time as well as in her first
major, Shibuno reacted with glee and astonishment, covering her
mouth with her hand after the winning putt rattled in at Woburn
for a closing four-under-par 68.
She finished on 18-under 270 to become the second Japanese woman
to win a major, after Hisako "Chako" Higuchi in 1977.
Salas, two behind overnight, caught Shibuno on the front nine
and thought she had done enough with a seven-under 65 final
round.
But Shibuno, ranked 559 in the world at the start of the year,
found five birdies on the way home.
"I still feel like I'm going to vomit," Shibuno said moments
after her victory.
"I was more nervous on the front nine but I was OK on the back
nine. I felt like I was going to cry on the 18th but the tears
didn't come out."
Shibuno, who started the day with a two-shot lead,
double-bogeyed the third hole, which perhaps was a blessing in
disguise in that it relieved the pressure of being the
frontrunner.
"I don't think many people, including me, like to be in a
situation where you're leading," she said.
"I feel like it's better to be behind than leading. That was
true today and I was able to play easier when I was in that
position.
"I was looking at the board all the time, and knew my position,
where I stood in the tournament. That was also true before the
putt on the 18th and I was also thinking about if I were to make
this putt, how I was going to celebrate."
Runner-up Salas rued a five-foot birdie putt at the final hole
that lipped out.
"I'm not going to lie, I was nervous," she said. "I haven't been
in that position in a long time. I gave it a good stroke. I
controlled all my thoughts. It just didn't drop, so congrats to
our winner."
South Korean Ko Jin-young (66) finished two shots behind in
third place, completing a magnificent major campaign that
included victories at the ANA Inspiration in April and last
week's Evian Championship.
"I had a little pressure, but I like that pressure," world
number one Ko said.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Greensboro, North Carolina;
Additiona reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Tony Lawrence
and Pritha Sarkar)
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