Jeeno Thitikul opens the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes with a 7-under-par 64, taking a two-shot lead. The 23-year-old Thai makes an early run of three consecutive birdies in her afternoon round and then finishes without a bogey, converting her start into a strong position entering the rest of the tournament. The opening score places her ahead of Haeran Ryu and Shiho Kuwaki of Japan, who are tied for second. Thitikul is noted for being among the top players without having previously won a major; sources describe her as one of only two players to have reached the No. 1 spot in the women’s world ranking without a major championship. The reports also frame her pursuit against a majors season currently led by Haeran Ryu and Nelly Korda, who have split the four majors. With the early lead after Thursday’s round, Thitikul moves into the next stages of the event seeking her first major title.