Q. Hinako, 6-under today, whole lot of birdies. How do you feel you played today? What were some of the best moments for you?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: On No. 1 and 10 I had a tap-in birdie, and then that makes me easier to play golf.
Q. Definitely, a lot easier. This is your third time here; first time with the fans; first time getting the whole experience. What's the week like, the emotions and seeing the fans back here?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: A lot of Japanese fans come to different tournaments around the world, but local fans around here comes to this tournament, so it's very happy to be here.
Q. You're playing very well. Leading so far. What are your hopes for the weekend? What do you think you can achieve this weekend?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: I'm going to do just same thing, and I'm going to eat and I'm going to sleep.
Q. What do you eat?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Japanese food.
Q. Is there good Japanese food here?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: (No translated response.)
Q. What do you like to eat?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Salmon.
Q. Your two best performances on the LPGA are at majors. What about majors brings out the best in your game?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: I knew I had five years exemption from winning major championship 2019, but it's always high priority that I'm playing on a major tour, yeah.
Q. How hard is it to go from meeting with the media every single day and then coming here and all that additional attention on you?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: It's very familiar that I can see the Japanese media all the way from Japan. Yep.
Q. You mentioned how many fans there are of yours. Is it difficult to balance the expectations of your fans and going out and performing?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Maybe from 2019 winning British Open it's more less expectations from fans, so it's getting easier.
Q. Do you remember watching this tournament back in Japan when you were younger?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: I've never watched it.
Q. So what was your first impression then the first time you arrived on this property years ago?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: It was a hard course for me. (Laughter.) I couldn't even imagine I could play here.
Q. Really?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Yeah.
Q. How do you feel now about it? Do you love it?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: It's better than that time. (Laughter.) A little bit better.
Q. How are you a different person now than when you won the British Open?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: My game, golf game is not a lot different than I won 2019 British Open, but my personality is not different at all.
I eat a lot more snacks. (Laughter.)
Q. I can't tell. How is your golf game different?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: It's more mature playing golf, yeah.
Q. You have more shots?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Yeah, more manageable.
Q. What's snacks do you have?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Chips. I make chicken breast in the microwave and make chips.
Q. Chicken chips?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Yep.
Q. I've never heard of chicken chips.
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Chicken breast, yeah, in the microwave for ten minutes and the chips.
Q. Protein bites.
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Yeah.
Q. And players say, Hinako, that to succeed out here they have to figure this golf course out. What have you figured out about the course to be where you are now?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: I'm swinging harder on the tee shot and make more, you know, decent shot on the second shot. Yeah. The rough, it's a power from the rough.
Q. Power from the rough?
HINAKO SHIBUNO: Yeah.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports