Latest news with #MinjeeLee
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Thitikul edges into Women's PGA Championship lead
Women's PGA Championship first-round leaderboard:-4 J Thitikul (Tha); -3 M Lee (Aus); -2 R Takeda (Jpn); H Ryu (Kor), Y Noh (US), S Lee (Kor)Selected others: E N Korda (US), L Maguire (Ire), L Thompson (US), +1 G Hall (Eng); +3 L Ko (NZ); +4 M Rhodes (Eng) Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul shot a 68 to edge into an early lead at the Women's PGA number two Thitikul, 22, recovered from a double bogey at the fifth with six birdies to finish on four under par at the third of this year's five LPGA Minjee Lee was one shot further back after a rollercoaster three-under-par 69, which included seven birdies and four number one Nelly Korda is four off the pace as she went round in a par 72, which included two birdies and two Leona Maguire is also on level par, while England's Georgia Hall carded a 73. England's Mimi Rhodes, who has enjoyed three wins on the Ladies European Tour this season, was making her debut at a major and hit a four-over par 76. "I think my putter went really well today," said Thitikul, who is yet to win a major."In the front nine we had a lot of breeze going and more than the back nine, but [I made putts at] seven, eight, nine which boost the confidence up making the turn to the back nine."I really told myself just be patient and focused on the next shot, because [in the] majors you [are] going to miss anyway. What a way to bounce back. It's more important."The event is taking place at the Fields Ranch East course in Texas, with Lee and Korda citing the heat as a factor to contend with. "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."Korda added: "It's hot; I'm still cooling down right now."I'm pretty happy with my first round in the conditions. It definitely takes a toll on you, the Texas heat."
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Jenno Thitikul stays patient and goes on a birdie streak to take first-round lead at Women's PGA
FRISCO, Texas: Jenno Thitikul walked off the fifth green after a double bogey in the first round of the KPMG Women's PGA Championship reminding herself to stay patient and that some missed shots are going to happen. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport 'Majors, you're going to miss anyway,' said Thitikul, who's No. 2 in the women's world ranking. 'A way to bounce back, it's more important.' Thitikul certainly found a way to do that on a hot and windy Thursday, finishing with a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke lead over Minjee Lee (69). Haeran Ryu, Rio Takeda and Somi Lee all shot 70. That only hole over par for Thitikul was followed by a par before she made five birdies in a six-hole stretch, with a 60-footer on the par-3 eighth hole in the middle of three in a row. 'My putter went really well,' said the 22-year-old from Thailand, who is seeking her first major title. 'In the front nine we had a lot of breeze going, and more than the back nine, but like (made) putts 7, 8, 9, which boosts the confidence up making the turn to the back nine.' Thitikul, who lives in the Dallas area, needed only 25 putts on the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco. Her makes measured 199 1/2 feet. Thitikul played with top-ranked Nelly Korda (72) and No. 3 Lydia Ko (75). Korda, who reaggravated a neck injury with a shot out of the rough during a practice round Monday, opened with seven consecutive pars in a round that had two birdies and two bogeys. Ko was the only in the group to make a birdie at the 513-yard, par-5 first hole, but didn't make another the rest of the day. While Korda said she doesn't feel pain hitting shots, the two-time major champion said she has pain 'just with rotation' of her neck and that it is hard to get comfortable to sleep at night. 'It's better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice,' she said. 'Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck it takes a little bit longer than normal. ... Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now.' Korda opened with seven pars, including at the 317-yard, par-4 seventh hole, where she hit a 294-yard drive into a valley just short of the green. Her initial pitch from there ricocheted off the edge of the green and rolled back down the slope to where she was. Korda hit her next shot to 2 feet. That fifth hole for Thitikul started with a drive out of bounds and a penalty. Her birdie streak began with a nearly 18-footer at No. 7 before the long one at the eighth. She rolled in a 35-foot birdie at No. 17, and just missed making another one more than twice that long on the 434-yard, par-4 18th. Two-time major winner Lee, a 29-year-old Australian, hasn't won since 2023. She opened Thursday with a bogey and finished with two bogeys over the last three holes. In between, she made seven birdies. 'I feel like they were pretty soft bogeys. ... Well, on 16, that was a bit soft and obviously the first hole is a par 5. I should be making birdie or par at the least,' Lee said. 'Obviously there will be bogeys, but I think for me, I just try to stay patient. If I make a bogey I just try it back it up with something better than that. Can't get ahead of yourself, especially in this kind of weather. I think it's more just the heat that's draining your focus.' Lee bogeyed the 425-yard 12th hole, where she drove into thick rough to the right and from there went into the left rough. She saved par at the par-3 13th by blasting from a bunker to 5 1/2 feet and had consecutive birdies to get to 5 under — the lowest by anyone in the first round. Then came her late bogeys, missing a 7-foot par on the 16th and hitting her approach on the 18th into a bunker.
ABC News
9 hours ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Women's PGA Championship: Australian Minjee Lee one stroke back after first round of third major of 2025
Minjee Lee has matched the searing heat with a sizzling start to the PGA Championship in Texas, women's golf's third major of the year. Drinking litres and litres of water and taking refuge under an umbrella, Lee collected seven birdies in a first-round three-under-par 69 at PGA Frisco. Australia's dual major winner is just one shot behind Thai superstar Jeeno Thitikul and one ahead of American Yealimi Noh, Japan's Rio Takeda and South Koreans Somi Lee and Haeran Ryu, who share third at two under. "I putted really great today. I made a lot of birdie putts and a whole bunch of up-and-down par putts as well," Lee said. "My iron game was pretty solid as well, but I think I need to sharpen up my drives a little bit. But I felt quite good today. "I was clutch under, like, 14 feet." Lee at one point reached five under for a two-stroke buffer following back-to-back birdies on the 14th and 15th holes, but dropped shots on 16 and 18 to open the door for Thitikul to snare the first-round lead. The Perth ace was nevertheless happy to just be back in the clubhouse after a gruelling morning battling the conditions. "I just kept telling my caddie, 'Can you give me another water, can you give me another water?' So, I don't know. I don't think we could have enough out there. It's really hot," Lee said. "It's the same for everyone. I mean, if it's tough for me, it's going to be tough for pretty much the whole field. "Just try and use my umbrella to shade the sun and the more wind we have, it's a little bit cooler, so just try and hydrate and eat well on the course." Thitikul started slowly, slipping to two over with a double-bogey six on the fifth hole. Do you have a story idea about women in sport? Email us abcsport5050@ But that was her lone blemish before reeling off six birdies in her last 13 holes to sit pretty atop the leaderboard. Nine players shot one under to be tied for seventh, with Steph Kyriacou the next best of the Australians after opening with an even-par 72 to be well-placed in joint-16th position. Grace Kim is one shot further back after starting with a 73, with Karis Davidson (74), 2019 PGA champion Hannah Green (74), Robyn Choi (74) and Hira Naveed (75) also inside the cut line. But Gabriela Ruffels (77) and Cassie Porter (78) have ground to make up to play the weekend. World number one Nelly Korda posted a first-round 72, three days after aggravating a neck injury during a practice round. While Korda said it did not hurt hitting shots, the two-time majors champ felt pain "just with rotation" of her neck and that it was hard to get comfortable sleeping at night. "It's better, yeah. Getting better every day, which is nice," she said. "Just because I injured it last year, whenever I do injure my neck, it takes a little bit longer than normal. "I kind of tweaked it before my round with Ariya [Jutanugarn] in Vegas this year, during the night I couldn't move then, so thankfully it wasn't as bad as that day … Just takes me like a week to kind of recover when I tweak my neck now." AAP
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Jeeno Thitikul grabs first-round lead at Women's PGA Championship
Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand hits a tee shot on the sixth hole during the first round of the Women's PGA Championship. PHOTO: AFP TEXAS - Thailand's Jeeno Thitikul overcame an early double bogey to finish with the first-round lead at the Women's PGA Championship on June 19 in Frisco, Texas. She shot a four-under par 68 at Fields Ranch East to hold a one-stroke edge over Australia's Minjee Lee. Yealimi Noh, South Korea's Somi Lee and Haeran Ryu and Japan's Rio Takeda are tied for third at 70. A nine-way tie for seventh place at 71 features Auston Kim, Angel Yin, Chinese Taipei's Chien Pei-yun, Japan's Yuna Nishimura and Chisato Iwai and South Korea's Chun In Gee, Hwang Youmin, Bang Shinsil and Park Kumkang. The event is the third of the year's five LPGA majors. Jeeno double-bogeyed the par-four fifth hole and was two over par through six holes. She then went on a tear, birdieing five of the next seven holes, and she added another birdie at No. 17 while completing a bogey-free back nine. 'I think my putter went really well today,' she said. 'You know, like in the front nine we had a lot of breeze going and more than the back nine, but (I made putts at) 7, 8, 9, which boost the confidence up making the turn to the back nine.' Jeeno earned her fifth career LPGA victory in May at the Mizuho Americas Open after capturing the Tour Championship in November. She credited her experience with helping her shake off the double bogey. 'I think like all the majors that I have told myself (to) just really be patient,' she said. 'I definitely know that I going to miss a shot, and I have. 'I really told myself just be patient and focused on the next shot, because (in the) majors you (are) going to miss anyway. What a way to bounce back. It's more important.' Minjee Lee produced an eventful round that included seven birdies and five bogeys – including bogeys at No. 1 and No. 18. She said of the start of her pursuit of a third major title, 'Obviously there will be bogeys, but I think for me, I just try to stay patient. If I make a bogey, I just try it back it up with something better than that. 'Yeah, can't get ahead of yourself, especially in this kind of weather. I think it's more just the heat that's draining your focus, so it's going to be a big factor come the next few days.' World No. 1 Nelly Korda is tied for 16th at 72. Japan's Mao Saigo, the winner of the year's first major, the Chevron Championship, is tied for 26th at 73. Sweden's Maja Stark, who captured the US Open title earlier in June, shot a 75, tied for 58th. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
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
