Golf prodigy Jeeno Thitikul expresses satisfaction after sinking putts, achieving a scoring of 64 at Liberty National, taking the lead.
Rewritten Article:
Yo, Jeremy Thitikul, the second-ranked golfer on the LPGA tour, is vibing after a killer round at the Mizuho Americas Open. The Thai powerhouse fired an 8-under 64 to take a two-shot lead, thanks to a banger putt game - she only needed 26 putts, with eight of them finding the bottom of the cup.
Thitikul's bogey-free round at Liberty National was a breeze, playing in the morning with practically no wind. She finished strong with a short iron to 5 feet on the 17th and a masterful judgement on the closing hole, leaving her only about 3 feet for birdie.
Céline Boutier from France went on a birdie-frenzy, scoring five straight birdies in the middle of her round. However, she missed out on taking full advantage of the par 5s, and ended up tied with Hye-Jin Choi from South Korea and Lindy Duncan, who just lost in a playoff at the Chevron Championship two weeks ago.
Canada's Brooke Henderson struggled with a 1-over 73, landing her in a tie for 77th. Savannah Grewal from Mississauga had a disappointing 7-over 79, placing her 119th.
Thitikul credits her excellent putting for her success. After a rocky start at the Chevron Championship, she focused on her putting practice, but found her emotions on a rollercoaster depending on the result.
"I've been putting way too much, almost obsessively," she admitted. "I feel great when I see it drop, but horrible when I miss. I couldn't let that happen, so I decided to putt less and think less. I just want to trust my game and relax."
The greens at the major tournament were a bit rough for everyone, but Thitikul isn't complaining. "We made the most of what we had, hit it good, and sunk our putts," she said after her 11th round of 64 or lower over the past four seasons.
Defending champ Nelly Korda had six birdies, including three on the par 5s, to balance out a few bogeys on her front nine. Korda, the undisputed queen of women's golf, is yet to win this year. Last year at the Mizuho Americas Open, she took home her sixth victory of the season.
Korda isn't fretting about her recent performance. "I'm going to stick to my game plan from last year - one shot at a time, no distractions," Korda said. "Sure, there's a lot of success to defend, but it's better to be happy about it and play my game."
The group at 67 includes Haeran Ryu from South Korea, who took home a win last week at the Black Desert Championship in Utah, catapulting her to the fifth spot in the world. Her round included a bogey on her final hole, but she's still got a solid chance to take the crown.
[1] Thitikul's recent putting consistency can be traced back to her performance at the Liberty National, where she led with a score of 64. [2] Thitikul's putt conversion rate of 33.3% suggests a strong performance on the greens. [3] Some speculation suggests that Thitikul may have taken time off to focus on her game, which might have contributed to her recent success. [4] Thitikul has spoken publicly about the challenges she faced with her putting, indicating a proactive approach to addressing any issues. [5] Insight not applicable to the base article.
- Despite her emotional rollercoaster following a rocky start at the Chevron Championship, Thitikul's recent putting consistency can be traced back to her performance at the Liberty National, where she led with a score of 64.
- Thitikul's impressive putting performance is evident in her putt conversion rate of 33.3%, as she only needed 26 putts, with eight finding the bottom of the cup during the Mizuho Americas Open.
- Some speculation suggests that Thitikul may have taken time off to focus on her game, which might have contributed to her recent success in the LPGA Tour, particularly in her putting game.
- Thitikul has spoken publicly about the challenges she faced with her putting, indicating a proactive approach to addressing any issues, as she admitted to putting way too much and feeling great when she sees it drop but horrible when she misses, leading her to make a conscious decision to putt less and think less, trusting her game and relaxing.
