Jeeno Thitikul, still chasing a first major title, carded a bogey-free round of 64 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, with Lottie Woad and Charley Hull among those making an early move on home soil.
Jeeno Thitikul set the target on the opening day of the season’s final major, going round Royal Lytham & St Annes in a bogey-free 64 to lead by two strokes. The world number two rolled in three birdies in a row on the fourth, fifth and sixth holes, added another on the eighth, then closed with further birdies on the 11th, 13th and 15th for a seven-under-par round.
(Photo by Morgan Harlow/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
“I do enjoy it when golf is good. It’s really nice that I knew I hit some good shots, but I got lucky bounces over the pot bunkers. When it’s your way, it’s really your way. I knew I had a really good putter today too,” Thitikul said.
“The majors really test our games mentally and physically. When you play good in a major, even top five or top 10, you feel great and you have more confidence going to play just regular tournaments. It’s about beating the course when you’re in a major,” she added.
A course with history
Thitikul has form at Lytham, having won the Smyth Salver as a 15-year-old amateur during the 2018 edition of the AIG Women’s Open. “I should be better than when I was 15 years old! It played the same, I think there’s still bunkers in the way and when you play good you keep the momentum going.
“My strategy is to beat my score from when I was 15,” she said, recalling a tee shot on the first hole that day. “I had really good memories on the first hole. I remember the first day from 2018 and on the first hole, I hit it very close to the pin. That’s the best memories.”
Ryu and Kuwaki give chase
Two-time reigning major champion Haeran Ryu and Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki shared second place on five-under-par, two shots off the lead. Ryu, who won the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship back-to-back, opened with a birdie at the first and added further birdies on the fourth, sixth and seventh. A bogey on the 15th was pulled back immediately with birdies on the 16th and 18th for a round of 66.
“Today felt so tough because in the morning before the round there was a little rain, so I thought please no rain today. Weather is pretty good and the wind is still hard,” Ryu said. “I’m happy to finish with a birdie.”
(Photo by Charlie Crowhurst/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Kuwaki matched Ryu’s 66 with only one dropped shot on her card, adding birdies on the fourth, fifth, sixth, 11th, 16th and 18th. “I managed my game well despite the strong winds and I was able to hole some key putts. My shots were very consistent and making a putt of about six metres early in the front nine really helped me get into a good rhythm,” she said.
The rest of the leading pack
American Yealimi Noh and France’s Celine Boutier shared fourth place on four-under-par. Boutier went bogey-free, making an eagle on the sixth before birdies on the ninth and 13th for a 67. “[On the eagle] I was able to hit a solid 6-iron on my second shot to reach the green in two. I had a 20-footer or so, slightly uphill and right-to-left, so I tried to give it a good run, and it went around the hole and went in,” Boutier said. Japan’s Chizzy Iwai and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen shared sixth on three-under-par with matching rounds of 68.
Where the leading names stand
(Photo by Kate McShane/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Lottie Woad and Charley Hull were the leading home interest, both signing for bogey-free 69s to sit tied eighth on two-under-par, three shots off the lead.
Woad birdied the sixth and 12th. “It was a good start. No bogeys, which is always good around here. I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens,” she said. “The atmosphere was great. Teeing off early this morning, but there were still a lot of people, and it picked up as the round went on.”
Shannon Tan, the 2025 LET Order of Merit champion, joined them in the tied-eighth group after a 69 built on five birdies, one bogey and one double bogey.
Further back among the GB&I contingent, Alice Hewson posted a one-under 70, while Leona Maguire, Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Georgia Hall were among those still finding their range in the tougher afternoon conditions. World number one Nelly Korda was well outside the frame after an opening 73, two-over-par.
Round two gets under way at 6.30am local time on Friday, with the cut set to fall at the top 65 and ties.
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