Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand took the lead in the first round of the Kroger Queen City Championship in Hamilton, Ohio, with a score of 9-under-par 63. Her impressive performance included an eagle and seven birdies, all while maintaining a bogey-free scorecard.
Gigi Stoll secured the second position, finishing the round at 7-under 65. Wannasaen attributed her improved performance to a recent swing adjustment recommended by her coach. She had faced challenges in previous LPGA Tour events, which had impacted her confidence.
Wannasaen, already a two-time LPGA winner at the age of 21, highlighted her season with a tie for second place at the Women's PGA Championship. On Thursday, she reached the turn at TPC River's Bend at 3 under par and then achieved an eagle on the par-4 10th hole.
Six players tied for third place, each scoring 6-under 66. These included Jenny Bae, Peiyun Chien of Taiwan, Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand, and Koreans Kumkang Park, A Lim Kim, and Sei Young Kim. Bae's round featured consecutive birdies early on, followed by an eagle on the par-5 18th hole.
Nelly Korda, ranked second in the world, is among those tied at 5-under 67. Korda's round included eight birdies and three bogeys. Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, the world's number one player, began with a 3-under 69. Lydia Ko of New Zealand, the defending champion, shot a 2-under 70.
5 Comments
Noir Black
Shout out to Chanettee for proving that hard work pays off! Well done!
BuggaBoom
7 birdies and an eagle but still only got the lead? Must have been a weak field.
Loubianka
Fantastic round! You deserve all the recognition for your talent and hard work!
Bermudez
Great to see Chanettee back in form! Can’t wait to follow the rest of the tournament!
Michelangelo
Keep shining, Chanettee! Golf needs more players like you to inspire the next generation!