HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul was a bit shocked about how low she went on Friday at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.

The five-time LPGA Tour winner fired a bogey-free 8-under 64 in round two at TPC River’s Bend after recording a whopping eight birdies, six of which came in an eight-hole stretch on her closing nine holes and four of which she carded consecutively on Nos. 13 through 16, what is her longest birdie streak on Tour since she won the Mizuho Americas Open back in May.

Even though Thitikul has arguably been one of the hottest players in the world since the 2024 FM Championship last August, the 22-year-old and her driver haven’t been getting along as of late. So while she was incredibly pleased to vault up the leaderboard on day two after a second-round 64, it wasn’t exactly a score that Thitikul saw coming this week in Ohio.

“I was so surprised to be honest,” said Thitikul, who hit 13 of 14 fairways and 17 of 18 greens in the second round. “But maybe because when you're not that confident, you're not expecting things to be that good, which mean kind of free and then whatever because I know if it's not good, I know how it's going to be.

“To be honest, I wasn't confident with the tee shot that much, I mean, the driver. Still working on some swing thoughts. But I think today on the back nine, (I was) just rolling it really well. I think I make the putts more than the front nine.”

This is Thitikul’s 17th tournament of the 2025 LPGA Tour season, and in her 16 starts ahead of this week in the Buckeye State, the Thailand native has made 15 cuts, picking up her fifth career victory at the Mizuho Americas Open and racking up nine additional top-10 results, three of which were runner-up finishes that came at the HSBC Women’s World Championship (T2), The Amundi Evian Championship (2) and FM Championship (2).

Currently sitting at 11-under through 36 holes, Thitikul is now in prime position to become the first athlete this season to collect multiple victories, as 24 different players have won the first 23 tournaments of the year, something that has never happened in LPGA Tour history. She is trailing her fellow countrywoman Chanettee Wannasaen by two strokes, which isn’t a terribly large lead when the world No. 1 is chasing, particularly when that athlete is as consistent as Thitikul.

With two rounds remaining, there’s still plenty of time for Thitikul to turn the tide in her favor, especially considering how gettable TPC River’s Bend has proven to be over the first two days at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. And after finishing solo second to LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko at this event last season, Thitikul is sure to be as hungry as ever to add this tournament to the tallies in her career wins column, a streak-snapping victory that no one – not even Thitikul herself – would be surprised to see happening on Sunday afternoon.

“I think the reachable par 5s,” said Thitikul when asked what about this week’s venue suits her game. “We have two or three par 5s that you can be aggressive on the second shots, and then you could be around the green. So, I think it's really helped my game.”

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul In Contention at KQCC After Friday 64

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