After opening with a 4-under 68 on Thursday at the Honda LPGA Thailand, four-time LPGA Tour winner Jeeno Thitikul thrilled on Friday in her home country, blitzing Siam Country Club’s Old Course with an 8-under 64 that saw her make one bogey and nine birdies in the second round.

Thitikul shot out of the gate, grabbing a birdie on the par-5 1st hole and then rattling off four consecutive birdies on holes three through six to climb to 9-under for the tournament. She landed one more birdie on the par-3 8th hole and parred nine to turn in 30, making her seventh birdie of the round on the par-5 10th hole to get to 7-under on the day and 11-under total.

The 22-year-old, who celebrated a birthday on Feb. 20, then stumbled with a bogey on the par-4 13th hole, but after parring her next three holes, Thitikul picked up a pair of back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 to polish off her 8-under effort and sit in a tie for third at 12-under total, three strokes behind Japanese rookie Akie Iwai.

“Just my putt. It's more dropping than yesterday. And then also the irons were really working today more than yesterday,” Thitikul said. “I really trying to not think much when I putt because I think in the first round, I trying to make it everything perfect, but today, I was just like line up, I know where to go, and I just putt it.”

The 64 is the first round of 64 or better that Thitikul has carded on the LPGA Tour since she shot a 9-under 63 in the third round of the CME Group Tour Championship last November, an event she went on to win at Tiburón Golf Club and a title that came with a $4 million first-place check, the largest prize in all of women’s golf. But her day-two effort in Thailand is just Thitikul’s latest incredible performance in an impeccable stretch of golf that has seen her earn two victories and six other top-10 finishes in her last eight worldwide starts

She rolled into the Honda LPGA Thailand fresh off capturing her fifth career Ladies European Tour win at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, a tournament she won by four shots over Somi Lee, and while some might linger a bit too long on past results and revel a bit too much in prior success, Thitikul is great at moving on quickly, something that has served her well since she joined the LPGA in 2022. She also doesn’t stress too much about winning, often saying, “If it’s your day, it’s your day,” when discussing victories and losses, a mindset that has helped her keep her expectations in check over the years.

“It's really surprise how I can play really well last week,” Thitikul said. “To be honest, I'm not expecting to get a win in my first week back from offseason, but to get it last week just gives me more confidence coming here.”

So even though she’s got one of the hottest hands in women’s golf right now and despite the fact that last week’s LET victory could potentially be a good omen considering 2024 Honda LPGA Thailand champion Patty Tavatanakit also won the week prior on the European circuit before picking up her second career Tour title here last year, Thitikul’s main concern this week is making sure to put on a show for the local fans, entertainment the Thailand native has delivered through 36 holes at Siam Country Club.

“I think I'm super excited since I was here,” Thitikul said. “I'm excited to be here and excited to play in front of them. Just want to make sure they happy about all the things and watching us.

“As always, I appreciate them because I know it's long ways to come here, and also, it's so hot here. It's so tired as well walking 18 holes, but they're still here to support from the first hole to the last hole, which is really meaningful for me.”

With two days still to come at the Honda LPGA Thailand, Thitikul has plenty of time to make up the three-shot deficit that currently stands between her and Iwai over the next 36 holes as she works to become just the third Thai player ever to win this event alongside Ariya Jutanugarn and Tavatanakit.

And after a wild couple of weeks both on and off the golf course, the 22-year-old Thitikul is just trying to savor every moment that she has experienced in recent days, knowing firsthand after dealing with an injury last year that life as a successful professional athlete and contending for titles like she will be doing this weekend in her home country isn’t something to take for granted.

“A lot of things, a lot of work. Just trying to enjoy all the ride that we had because time is so fast,” Thitikul said. “Then once you look up, it's like, whoa. This year is almost my fourth year on the Tour, which is so fast. I just trying to enjoy all the things. I know it's tired, but at least which mean you're in a good position-wise and everything.”

Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul Thrills With 8-Under 64 on Day Two of Honda LPGA Thailand

Related Articles