Hinako Shibuno is a professional golfer from Japan who plays in the LPGA Tour. She is leading in the Women’s British Open after hitting three birdies out of the final four holes. With this lead, she definitely is a strong contender to win the title and it’s too important for her career. She had one great winning in the 2019 Women’s British Open but hasn’t won a single event since 2021. So, with this win, she is desperate to gain momentum in her career.
Early Life
Hinako Shibuno was born on 15th November 1998 in Okayama, Japan. Her parents were athletes; her father was a discus thrower, and her mother was a javelin thrower. She shares her childhood with her two other sisters, and she is the middle child of her parents.
Hinako began playing golf and softball when she was only in second grade. While playing softball, she used to handle the position of pitcher and a converted left-handed hitter. When she played golf, she participated in and finished third in the 2010 Okayama Prefecture Junior Golf Championship.
When she used to play at the Jōtō junior high school, she was the only female player in the school’s baseball club. However, after emerging victorious in the 2011 Junior Golf Championship of Okayama Prefecture (junior high school division), her focus shifted entirely towards dedicating herself to the sport of golf. She had advice from her baseball coach.
Then in 2014, she got admitted to Sakuyō High School, where she played golf. The same year, she won the Chūgoku Region Women’s Amateur Championship, and later, as a member of the school team, she helped the team to win the competition at the National High School Golf Championship in 2015.
Hinako Shibuno Career
Hinako Shibuno completed high school in 2017, and then she gave a qualification test to become a professional, but she failed. Then in 2018, she used to play in the step-up tour circuit. The only JLPGA Tour competition she used to play that year was the Earth Mondahmin Cup in June, where she earned an entry after becoming a qualifier for a successful Monday. During the game, she scored a hole-in-one on the 9th hole of the first day of the game and then earned the prize money of 6 million yen despite having a cut that was missed by her.
Then in July 2018, she passed the test and became a professional. In May 2019, Hinako Shibuno participated and won the competition – the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup- one of the four major tournaments on the LPGA Tour in Japan. Then in July 2019, she won another competition, the Shiseido Anessa Ladies Open.
In August 2019, she participated in the LPGA Tour outside of Japan and won the AIG Women’s British Open competition. Eventually, she became the second Japanese player to win a women’s major championship after the record was made by Hisako Higuchi in 1977 in the LPGA Championship. After the game, Shibuno also became the second player to win a major debut after Kim Hyo-Joo at the 2014 Evian Championship. In 2022, Shibuno earned the card for entry to LPGA Tour through a qualifying school.
Hinako Shibuno Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Hinako Shibuno |
| Birth Date | 15 November 1998 |
| Age (as of 2023) | 24 Years |
| Birth Place | Okayama, Okayama, Japan |
| Profession | Golfer |
| College | – |
| Qualification | Graduate |
Physical Statistics | |
| Height | in feet inches – 5’ 6” – in Centimeters – 168 cm |
| Weight | in Kilograms – 62 kg – in Pounds – 136 lbs |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Hinako Shibuno Family | |
| Father | Satoru Shibuno |
| Mother | Nobuko Shibuno |
| Sister | Two |
| Brother | – |
Relationship Status | |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Affair | No |
| Who is Hinako Shibuno’s boyfriend? | None |
Personal Life
Hinako Shibuno is yet to be married and recently focusing on her LPGA Tour 2023, Trust Golf Women’s Scottish Open, where she is known to lead the competition.
Hinako Shibuno Social Media
Shibuno is available with the handle name – @pinacoooon on Instagram. She has 51.5K followers. She is also available on YouTube with a verified account named @hinakoshibuno7813, where she has 108K subscribers and 57 videos.
Hinako Shibuno Net Worth
She played 34 events in her career and has earned a ranking of 276 with a total winning of prize money – $1,175,216 in the list of LPGA Tour. So, she has a net worth of around $3 million as of 2023.