Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul surged to the top of the leaderboard at the KPMG US Women’s PGA Championship on Thursday, shooting a composed 4-under-par 68 in punishing Texas heat. The 22-year-old, seeking her first major title, delivered a strong performance at PGA Frisco’s Fields Ranch East, highlighted by six birdies and marred only by a double bogey at the par-four fourth. Despite the setback, Thitikul showed maturity and calm to close the round in the lead, one shot ahead of her nearest challenger.
Having already racked up 18 professional wins, including five on the LPGA Tour, Thitikul relied on patience to guide her through difficult early conditions. “All majors, I just try to stay patient,” she said after her round. “I know mistakes will happen, so I just try not to let them affect me. I focus on the next shot.” Her ability to recover quickly from her early double bogey set the tone for a consistent back nine and kept her atop the leaderboard.
Australia’s Minjee Lee sits one shot back after carding a 3-under 69, a round filled with seven birdies and four bogeys. Lee noted that the extreme temperatures, climbing into the high 90s Fahrenheit, posed just as much of a challenge as the course itself. “I don’t think we could drink enough water out there,” she joked, reflecting on the sweltering conditions. Three players — Japan’s Rio Takeda, South Korea’s Lee So-mi, and American Yealimi Noh — are tied a further shot back at 2-under-par.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda struggled to gain momentum in the heat and finished with an even-par 72, four shots off the lead. She admitted the Texas temperatures had drained her physically and mentally, describing the experience as “tough to handle.” Fellow competitor Auston Kim, who posted a 1-under 71, echoed those sentiments, saying the biggest obstacle wasn’t the course but the heat itself. “It’s hard to focus when the heat is that intense,” Kim said. “There were moments I thought I might slip, but I managed to hold on.” As the championship continues, endurance will be as crucial as precision.
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