Thailand’s Atthaya “Jeeno” Thitikul surged to the top of the leaderboard with a seven-under-par 64 in the opening round of the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes. The 23-year-old, ranked world No. 2, took advantage of calm conditions late in the day to post the best score of the round and move two shots clear of South Korean favorite Ryu Hae-ran.
Thitikul started strongly with a birdie on the first hole and added further gains on the fourth, sixth, and seventh, demonstrating precise iron play that set up several scoring opportunities. Although she encountered some trouble at the 15th, resulting in her only bogey, she quickly recovered with a successful 18-foot putt for birdie at the 16th and secured another birdie on the final hole. Speaking afterward, Thitikul noted the challenge of the course’s fairway bunkers, saying, “With this type of golf course it is hard to make par if you go in the fairway bunkers and today I hit a couple of times in the bunkers but made some pretty good saves. Hopefully, tomorrow I’ll stay in the fairway.”
Among other contenders, England’s Lottie Woad, ranked world No. 5, posted a steady two-under 69, maintaining a clean card with no bogeys and positioning herself within striking distance of the leaders. Woad, optimistic despite some narrowly missed putts, described her round as a “good start,” noting that avoiding bogeys was particularly satisfying. Fellow Englishwoman Charley Hull also signed for a 69 but her scorecard was marked by a contrasting pattern of six birdies offset by four bogeys.
American Nelly Korda appeared to fall behind early, facing a significant challenge to close the gap on the leaders with a less notable start. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who claimed the Women’s British Open title in 2024, recorded an even-par round. The defending champion, Miyu Yamashita of Japan, finished day one at one-over 72.
As the tournament progresses, Thitikul looks to build on her promising start in pursuit of her first major championship victory, aiming to finally overcome the label of the best female player yet to win a major. Meanwhile, the rest of the field, including local favorites Woad and Hull, will seek to mount a challenge against the rising Thai star on one of golf’s most demanding courses.