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The best two players on the LPGA without a major are once again in position to do something about it at the Amundi Evian Championship.
Jeeno Thitikul put together her lowest round in any major, a 7-under 64, to move into a share of second with Charley Hull (70) at 6 under.
After hitting five fairways in a first-round 72, Thitikul missed only one on Friday. She hit 14 greens and took 28 putts. She played the four par-5s in five under, including an eagle on the seventh, where she drained a bomb. The goal, she said, was to feel more natural and not overthink.
More: 2026 Amundi Evian Championship live updates. Will Nelly Korda make the cut?
Thitikul, now 23 years old, made the cut at the Evian at age 14 and fell in love with the place, noting after Friday’s round that it’s her favorite course.
“I love the course, how it looks,” she said. “I know it's so slopey, but it has room for you to kind of like hit it and then let it help you to get it to the hole or to the spot that you wanted.”
And then, of course, she loves Lake Geneva.
“I think if you have a really bad day you can jump into the lake,” she added, “so that's a holiday.”
Thitikul stays at the Hilton in the city center of Evian-les-Bains and enjoys the French food, namely escargot and crapes.
England's Hull, fresh off the Royal Box at Wimbledon last week, played alongside Thitikul and Lydia Ko and was up at 4:40 a.m. for the quick Friday turnaround. She lamented after the round that the grounds crew had put too much water on the course.
“I hit 17 greens in regulation, played good,” said Hull. “I think the course, I don't know, they overwatered the greens a little bit and some of the holes where they bounce on, it was stopping within an inch with a 6-iron.”
The region has experienced a heat wave of late, with temperatures in the 90s. The greens, Thitikul noted, are bumpier than usual.
“I know like they're trying their best to be able to get it away from the heat,” said Thitikul. “Today I was at putting green about 5:50, 5:40 and they watering the green, and I was like, now?
“And then they watering, like, 18 green that I saw at that time. Then I think they're just like afraid to get too dry and then we can't be able to play. Obviously not the best that we can see from Evian Resort, but I know the weather kind of changes a little bit.”
Hull, who has more runner-up finishes in the majors without a win than anyone on tour at five, had her most recent close call at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera last month.
“Just stay calm and collected and breathe,” said Hull of what she took from L.A. “A lot of the breathing techniques.”
Joining the two top-5 players in the world in that share of second is Frenchwoman Nastasia Naduad, who carded back-to-back 68s. Naduad, No. 88, won on the LET in Spain last year and has four top-30 finishes on the LPGA this season.
They’re all chasing Japan’s Aki Iwai, who opened with a 63 and reached 10 under early on in her second round.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda continues her battle to make the cut.
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the LPGA and women's golf, and is a past president of the Golf Writers Association of America.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Jeeno Thitikul, Charley Hull each in position for first major title at Evian
Continue reading...
Jeeno Thitikul put together her lowest round in any major, a 7-under 64, to move into a share of second with Charley Hull (70) at 6 under.
After hitting five fairways in a first-round 72, Thitikul missed only one on Friday. She hit 14 greens and took 28 putts. She played the four par-5s in five under, including an eagle on the seventh, where she drained a bomb. The goal, she said, was to feel more natural and not overthink.
More: 2026 Amundi Evian Championship live updates. Will Nelly Korda make the cut?
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Thitikul, now 23 years old, made the cut at the Evian at age 14 and fell in love with the place, noting after Friday’s round that it’s her favorite course.
“I love the course, how it looks,” she said. “I know it's so slopey, but it has room for you to kind of like hit it and then let it help you to get it to the hole or to the spot that you wanted.”
And then, of course, she loves Lake Geneva.
“I think if you have a really bad day you can jump into the lake,” she added, “so that's a holiday.”
Thitikul stays at the Hilton in the city center of Evian-les-Bains and enjoys the French food, namely escargot and crapes.
England's Hull, fresh off the Royal Box at Wimbledon last week, played alongside Thitikul and Lydia Ko and was up at 4:40 a.m. for the quick Friday turnaround. She lamented after the round that the grounds crew had put too much water on the course.
“I hit 17 greens in regulation, played good,” said Hull. “I think the course, I don't know, they overwatered the greens a little bit and some of the holes where they bounce on, it was stopping within an inch with a 6-iron.”
You must be registered for see images
The region has experienced a heat wave of late, with temperatures in the 90s. The greens, Thitikul noted, are bumpier than usual.
“I know like they're trying their best to be able to get it away from the heat,” said Thitikul. “Today I was at putting green about 5:50, 5:40 and they watering the green, and I was like, now?
“And then they watering, like, 18 green that I saw at that time. Then I think they're just like afraid to get too dry and then we can't be able to play. Obviously not the best that we can see from Evian Resort, but I know the weather kind of changes a little bit.”
Hull, who has more runner-up finishes in the majors without a win than anyone on tour at five, had her most recent close call at the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera last month.
“Just stay calm and collected and breathe,” said Hull of what she took from L.A. “A lot of the breathing techniques.”
Joining the two top-5 players in the world in that share of second is Frenchwoman Nastasia Naduad, who carded back-to-back 68s. Naduad, No. 88, won on the LET in Spain last year and has four top-30 finishes on the LPGA this season.
They’re all chasing Japan’s Aki Iwai, who opened with a 63 and reached 10 under early on in her second round.
World No. 1 Nelly Korda continues her battle to make the cut.
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the LPGA and women's golf, and is a past president of the Golf Writers Association of America.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Jeeno Thitikul, Charley Hull each in position for first major title at Evian
Continue reading...
