Jeeno Thitikul edges clear as heat takes toll at Women's PGA
Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand shot a four-under-par 68 to take an early one-shot lead at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in Frisco, Texas (Stacy Revere)
Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul fired a four-under-par 68 to edge into a slender lead as searing heat and humidity tested players in the opening round of the KPMG US Women's PGA Championship in Texas on Thursday.
The 22-year-old, who is chasing her first major victory after seven top-10 finishes, reeled off six birdies to move into a one-shot lead.
Advertisement
Jeeno's only blemish on an otherwise flawless opening round was a double-bogey six at the par-four fourth hole of PGA Frisco's 6,404-yard Fields Ranch East layout.
The rising Thai star, who has already amassed 18 wins as a professional including five on the LPGA Tour, said she had taken a patient approach after shrugging off her early double-bogey disappointment.
"I think like all the majors, I have told myself just to be really patient," Jeeno said after her round. "I definitely know that I'm going to miss a shot or make a bogey during the day.
"Don't be like, moody ... I told myself be patient and focused on the next shot."
Advertisement
Jeeno was one shot clear of Australia's Minjee Lee, who had a roller coaster round that included seven birdies and four bogeys en route to a three-under-par 69.
Lee was satisfied with her round but admitted the searing temperatures in the high 90s (Fahrenheit) were challenging.
"I just kept telling my caddie, can you give me another water, can you give me another water," Lee said. "I don't think we could have enough (water) out there. It's really hot."
Japan's Rio Takeda, South Korea's Lee So-mi and American Yealimi Noh were a further shot back after carding two-under-par 70s.
Advertisement
World number one Nelly Korda, meanwhile, is four off the pace after an opening level-par 72.
Korda also admitted she had found the heat a struggle.
"It's hot; I'm still cooling down right now," Korda said. "I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions.
"It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat."
Auston Kim, who posted a one-under-par 71, said the heat had been more of a challenge than anything the twists and turns of the PGA Frisco layout had offered.
"I think the most difficult thing is dealing with the heat," Kim said.
"There were times I had to lock in really hard just because the heat is taking a toll on you. You kind of want to just get into a daze and it's hard to focus.
Advertisement
"The heat was probably the hardest part, and then hitting the fairways. I had to chop it out of the rough twice today, including on the last hole.
"I thought I was going to make double for sure, but I managed to make a really good bogey."
rcw/bb
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
22 minutes ago
- USA Today
Cowboys would be wise to pass on bringing $191 million future Hall of Famer back to Texas
Cowboys would be wise to pass on bringing $191 million future Hall of Famer back to Texas Future Hall of Famer Von Miller, 36, is a man without a team. The Super Bowl winning, former All-Pro defensive end has made a career chasing quarterbacks and with DeMarcus Lawrence now gone from Dallas, some have suggested Miller could be the needed replacement. Former Cowboys writer and current NFL analyst David Helman wisely put that idea to bed. Worthwhile news can be hard to come by at this time of year so sometimes analysts need to dig pretty deep to find interesting 'what ifs' to talk about. Miller, who has made over $191 million across his storied career, probably wouldn't be as fruitful in Dallas as he would elsewhere, despite his DeSoto, TX roots. Not only is Miller beginning to slow down, but the Cowboys have the defensive end position largely covered. Dallas signed Dante Fowler to a $6 million deal early in free agency to pick up the slack and they also welcome back fourth-year player Sam Williams after missing 2024 with an ACL tear. As if those two aren't enough, the Cowboys also have a pair of second-round picks, Marshawn Kneeland and Donovan Ezeiruaku, to round out a pretty impressive rotation. And did I mention that guy Micah Parsons? The Cowboys have some needs on their defense and options in free agency to consider. Cornerback and defensive tackle look particularly problematic but defensive end is not a comparable concern. Adding a veteran like Miller would only stand in the way of the development of Williams, Kneeland and Ezeiruaku. Perhaps if Fowler wasn't signed and option like Miller would make sense but the ideal looks redundant in these current circumstances. The issue at hand isn't a debate about a single player, but rather a point about how not all additions are good additions. Just because someone has name recognition doesn't mean he's an upgrade and just because someone might be a slight upgrade doesn't mean he's helpful for the position group long-term. You can follow Reid on X @ReidDHanson and be sure to follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!
USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
KPMG Women's PGA live updates: Leaderboard, scores from second round of LPGA major
KPMG Women's PGA live updates: Leaderboard, scores from second round of LPGA major The 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship started on Thursday at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, Texas, the home course of the PGA of America. Jeeno Thitikul rolled in nearly 200 feet in putts to take the 18-hole lead. The best players in the world are battling it out with a major title on the line, including world No. 1 and past champion Nelly Korda, who remains in search of her first victory this season. Here's a look at the second round of play from the KPMG Women's PGA: (If you missed out on our in-depth coverage from Day 1, click here.) KPMG Women's PGA leaderboard Keep up with the latest scores on our USA TODAY Sports leaderboard. How to watch KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2025 All times EDT Friday, June 20 Golf Channel: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Featured groups: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21 Peacock: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Featured groups: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ( PGA Champs App) NBC: 1:30-6 p.m. Sunday, June 22 Peacock: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Featured groups: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ( PGA Champs App) NBC: 3-6 p.m.
Yahoo
41 minutes ago
- Yahoo
KPMG Women's PGA live updates: Leaderboard, scores from second round of LPGA major
The 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship started on Thursday at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, Texas, the home course of the PGA of America. Jeeno Thitikul rolled in nearly 200 feet in putts to take the 18-hole lead. The best players in the world are battling it out with a major title on the line, including world No. 1 and past champion Nelly Korda, who remains in search of her first victory this season. Advertisement Here's a look at the second round of play from the KPMG Women's PGA: (If you missed out on our in-depth coverage from Day 1, click here.) KPMG Women's PGA leaderboard Keep up with the latest scores on our USA TODAY Sports leaderboard. How to watch KPMG Women's PGA Championship 2025 All times EDT Friday, June 20 Golf Channel: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Featured groups: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday, June 21 Peacock: 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Featured groups: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ( PGA Champs App) NBC: 1:30-6 p.m. Sunday, June 22 Peacock: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Featured groups: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ( PGA Champs App) NBC: 3-6 p.m. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LPGA major: KPMG Women's PGA live updates, leaderboard, scores
