Chanettee Wannasaen is tied atop the leaderboard of her home-country event with Japan’s Nasa Hataoka after the opening spherical of the Honda LPGA Thailand on Thursday in Pattaya, Thailand.
Wannasaen was efficient all through a 7-under-par 65 opening spherical, racking up 9 birdies in opposition to two bogeys. She completed with a birdie on the par-5 18th and hit 17 of 18 greens in regulation on the Siam Nation Membership Outdated Course.
“In the present day, I performed rather well on the strategy shot,” Wannasaen mentioned. ” … It is fairly enjoyable and I’ve plenty of reminiscence on this course.”
After a bogey on the par-4 2nd gap, Hataoka performed bogey-free over the ultimate 16 holes. That included three birdies within the ultimate 5 holes, overcoming making simply 14 of 18 greens in regulation by requiring simply 26 putts.
It is the second time in as many LPGA occasions this season that Hataoka has had at the least a share of the first-round lead. She led after the opening spherical of the Hilton Grand Holidays Match of Champions in late January at 6 underneath.
“In the present day was an excellent begin,” Hataoka mentioned. “I feel my tee shot and iron shot fairly properly right this moment. That is why I used to be capable of make so many birdie possibilities right this moment.”
There’s little separation between a big pack on the high of the leaderboard. South Korea’s Somi Lee and Hye-Jin Choi in addition to Scotland’s Gemma Dryburgh are tied for third at 6 underneath. Dryburgh holed out for an eagle on the par-5 tenth — her first gap in her first LPGA occasion again after changing into a mom seven weeks in the past.
After that, 10 gamers are tied for sixth at 5 underneath. That clump of opponents taking pictures 67 contains world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, who’s competing on her house course.
First taking part in on this occasion at 14 years previous and now on the eve of her twenty third birthday, Thitikul was bogey free at 5 underneath, securing a pair of sand saves.
“Simply grateful for every thing that I actually put the work in and it simply repay,” Thitikul mentioned, reflecting on her profession after the primary spherical. “After which additionally I feel they need to be comfortable on not simply me doing, however all of the Thai ladies doing on the market on the Tour.”
There are eight Thai golfers competing on this 12 months’s occasion. Ariya Jutanugarn can be tied at 5 underneath, and Pajaree Anannarukarn is one in all 10 golfers tied for sixteenth at 4 underneath. After taking pictures 1 over on the entrance 9, Anannarukarn surged again into rivalry with 5 birdies on a bogey-free again 9.
Angel Yin, who gained the 2025 occasion, is tied for twenty sixth at 3 underneath after the opening spherical.
–Area Degree Media
