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| - A year ago, Hinako Shibuno was a little known golfer who wowed the crowds at Woburn on her way to a shock victory in the Women's British Open. The player dubbed the 'Smiling Cinderella', who is now one of Japan's sporting superstars, lines up at Royal Troon in Scotland on Thursday as the defending champion -- but with not a spectator in sight. After a golfing lockdown due to coronavirus, the Women's British Open is the first major of the 2020 LPGA season and 21-year-old Shibuno is looking forward to a new challenge. "My win last year was life changing," she admitted through an interpreter. "I became a celebrity in Japan and couldn't believe the number of people when I arrived home at the airport. "It was weird." Woburn is an inland parkland course so the Troon links presents a completely different test. "I have watched the Open Championship on TV and I know I need to focus on the tee shots and miss the fairway bunkers," said Shibuno. "It's going to be very difficult because I know there will be wind and rain and I will have to play smart. "But I want to enjoy being the defending champion and show other parts of my game. "I have high expectations of myself but I want to play with a smile on my face." Ariya Jutanugarn was also a British Open winner at Woburn in 2016 and the long-hitting Thai golfer starts as one of the favourites to lift the crown this year. After a six month break due to the virus, the 24-year-old returned to action with a top 40 finish at last week's Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club at North Berwick. Winner of the 2018 Scottish Open at Gullane, she has learned to love links courses. "I am raring to go," she said. "There are no crowds here this week but it still feels like a major. "At first I didn't like links courses but the Scottish win two years ago helped change my mind. "Sometimes by this stage of the season you are wanting a break, but this time I am just so happy to be back to golf. "It's been really tough for everyone and I am so grateful to be playing tournaments again." Heading the British challenge are the 2018 champion from Royal Lytham and St Annes, Georgia Hall, and her Solheim Cup team mate Charley Hull. Hull has won on the Rose Ladies' Series this year - tournaments sponsored by English male golfing star Justin Rose. American Danielle Kang is the in-form player. She won back-to-back tournaments in Ohio on the LPGA Tour's return earlier this month and just missed out on a play-off for the Scottish Open last week. As a result, she has now risen to No.2 in the world behind South Korea's Ko Jin-young. "It's been great," she said. "I am so glad to be here and the course is beautiful. "Despite the restrictions, the bubble protocol has been fantastic here in Scotland. "It is so different for everyone, but there is easy access to everything we need." Englisgh golfing legend Laura Davies is playing in her 40th British Open and she has the honour of teeing off first when the action gets underway on Thursday morning. str/pi/nr
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