Jeongeun "Jeeno" Thitikul surged to the top of the leaderboard after the first round of the AIG Women's Open, while Charley Hull experienced a roller‑coaster opening day in her pursuit of a long‑awaited major title. Thitikul delivered a flawless, bogey‑free 64 at the historic Royal Lytham & St Annes, carding seven birdies and establishing a two‑stroke cushion over two‑time major champion Haeran Ryu and Japan's Shiho Kuwaki.
Ryu, who posted a five‑under 66, is eyeing a historic three‑peat, a feat not achieved since Inbee Park in 2013, and was closely trailed by Solheim Cup stalwart Celine Boutier, who also avoided any bogeys and sat three shots back. Meanwhile, England's own Lottie Woad opened with a clean‑cut two‑under 69, while Hull, a five‑time runner‑up in major championships yet to claim a victory, produced a volatile card of six birdies offset by four bogeys, leaving her five strokes behind the leader. Defending champion Miyu Yamashita fell eight strokes back after a round of 72, and world No. 1 Nelly Korda found herself fighting to avoid consecutive missed cuts after a two‑over 73.
Hull, who has finished second in the AIG Women's Open three times in the past four years, started strongly with a long‑range birdie on the par‑three first hole. She then three‑putted the second and incurred a bogey on the fourth, but quickly recovered by taking advantage of both front‑nine par‑fives. A missed shot on the eighth was redeemed when she holed a 12‑foot putt on the ninth, finishing the front nine at 34.
Later, Hull briefly closed to within three of the lead after birdieing the 11th par‑five and holing a dramatic putt from off the 15th green, only to drop a bogey on the next hole and settle back at two under, level with Woad. "I was so nervous on that first tee – I was shaking!" Hull told Sky Sports. "It felt great to open with a birdie. I missed a few putts today, but overall I think I played decently given how jittery I was at the start." Woad, the 22‑year‑old, also displayed solid ball‑striking, hitting many fairways and finding greens, yet she struggled to convert those opportunities into putts.
"I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens – I just didn’t make enough putts," she said. "Good shots around here are 15 to 25 feet from the flag, which isn’t easy.
I had some nice rolls but couldn’t finish them." Thitikul's round was the lowest opening score ever recorded at Royal Lytham in the history of the AIG Women's Open. The Thai prodigy, who is chasing her first major, combined precise tee shots with confident iron play and a deft short game to dominate the early leaderboard.
She overtook the early clubhouse target set by Ryu, whose own round featured six birdies and a single bogey, following her recent victories at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship and the Amundi Evian Championship. "I do enjoy it when golf is good," Thitikul said after her round. "It was nice to know I was hitting solid shots.
I even got a lucky bounce out of the pot bunker, and when things go your way, they really do. I also felt confident with my putter today." The tournament also serves as the final qualifying event for Team Europe’s Solheim Cup squad. Eight automatic qualifiers will be confirmed on Sunday, after which captain Anna Nordqvist will announce her four captain’s picks on Monday.
Currently, Chiara Tamburlini holds a slim advantage over Helen Briem for the second Solheim Cup spot via the Ladies European Tour rankings, though both players posted opening rounds of 75 and 76 respectively, putting their chances in jeopardy. Broadcast coverage continues throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf, with early coverage beginning Friday at 9 a.m. and full coverage from 1 p.m.
Viewers can also stream the event without a contract through various online platforms. Golf enthusiasts are encouraged to explore the best rates and book tee times at any of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland. As the competition unfolds, the question remains: who will ultimately claim the AIG Women's Open title? With Thitikul leading, Hull battling to regain momentum, and Woad showing promise, the final rounds promise drama, skill, and the possibility of a historic first major win for several of the world’s top players.