Thailand’s Athaya Thithikul is currently tied for the third round at the Mizuho Americas Open, three back with a 4-under 68 along with Stephanie Medow. Tithikul recorded one bogey and five birdies on Thursday, carding three birdies in his first four holes from 10 to 13 and two back-to-back birdies on holes 3 and 4. This is the third time Tithikul has opened this season. A 68 or so — the last time he finished T5 at the Cognizant Founders Cup a few weeks ago — and the 20-year-old was pleased with his early effort at Liberty National Golf Club.
„I think it’s because there’s not a lot of wind, because I started at 10 today and there wasn’t much wind when I started. Two of them were par 5s and one was a par 4 so it’s a reachable par 5 at 10. I think most people are looking for that on the second shot, so I I went for it and two-putted,” said Tithikul, who hit 11 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens. „And 12 and 13, 13 is a reachable par 5. Beat well. There was a 30-yard lie pitch shot. I love the 12’s layout. It’s a tough layout and you have to decide where you want to go. The pin was on the left so we’re going right today and building up the pace today.
This is Tithikul’s second season on the LPGA Tour. He has two career victories in his rookie season at the JDBC Classic presented by Barbazol and the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G and 19 additional career top-10 finishes, five of which have come this year. Thailand has never finished worse than T33 in 2023, a solo third-place finish in Honda LPGA Thailand this season. Tithikul helped lead Thailand to victory at the Hanwha LIFEPLUS International crown at storied TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, California in early May, suggesting the 2022 Louis Suggs Rolex rookie has something of a challenge. Historical places.
„I would say I prefer easy to hard. Everyone prefers an easy course to a hard one. But when it’s hard, I feel like you’re playing another course or a challenging one, and you really have to be patient. Sometimes I think I like that.” „Sometimes not really, when I’m not playing well,” Tithikul said. „As a golfer, we don’t play the same course every week. We have to change course every week. I think it’s really challenging. You don’t see the course, you’ve never played this course before. , and then I love watching a new course because I don’t know what’s going on there.