Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand fired a 9-under-par 63 and established a two-shot lead after the first round of the Kroger Queen City Championship on Thursday in Hamilton, Ohio.
Wannasaen had an eagle 2 along with seven birdies while keeping a bogey-free card. Gigi Stoll is alone in second at 7-under 65.
Wannasaen credited her coach for a recent swing fix after she struggled at several previous LPGA Tour events.
“It’s really tough because like in Evian, in Portland, in Canada and in Boston I just feel like I cannot hit the ball — really cannot hit the ball,” Wannasaen said. “So that made me lose confident. But this week is pretty like earn more confident from today, so I just want to enjoy.”
Already a two-time LPGA winner at age 21, the highlight of Wannasaen’s season was tying for second at the Women’s PGA Championship.
She made the turn TPC River’s Bend in 3 under par Thursday, then holed out for eagle at the par-4 10th.
“I think I hit 9-iron so actually that was perfect shot,” Wannasaen said. “So after I hit I just feel like, ‘Oh, this one going to be close to the pin.’ I didn’t like expect it’s going to roll to the pin.”
Stoll is ranked No. 453 in the world and has yet to win on the LPGA Tour. The 65 was her lowest round of the season.
Six players are tied for third after turning in 6-under 66s: Jenny Bae, Taiwan’s Peiyun Chien, Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit and Koreans Kumkang Park, A Lim Kim and Sei Young Kim.
Bae opened on the back nine with consecutive birdies at Nos. 10-11 and gave them back with bogeys at Nos. 14-15. But after birdieing the 17th, she converted an eagle chance at the par-5 18th like many of her fellow competitors Thursday. Bae added three birdies on the front nine.
“I had about I would say 17 feet (for eagle) and I told myself, ‘Look, you’ve made more long putts than you ever did short putts today. Let’s just give this a try,'” Bae said. “Confidently stroked it and just went right in the middle of the hole.
“I think honestly, when I back-to-back bogeyed, I told myself, ‘OK, let’s start (from) scratch,'” she added. “‘You’re even again. Nothing to lose.'”
Among those tied at 5-under 67 is World No. 2 Nelly Korda, who’s running out of time for her first victory of 2025. Korda had eight birdies and three bogeys on the day.
“Just rollercoaster. That’s golf,” Korda said. “I was hitting it good and I was putting really well, so I just stayed patient.”
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand opened with a 3-under 69. New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the defending champion, shot a 2-under 70.
