Jeeno Thitikul leads from history-chasing Ryu Hae-ran at Women's British Open

[p]The world number two's opening round is the lowest score ever recorded in the women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thitikul-atthaya/l4QnCX47/"]Thitikul[/a] sank four birdies in five holes between the 4th and the 8th and picked up more shots at 11, 13 and 15 in a bogey-free round.[/p][p]History-chasing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hae-ran-ryu/8fKOxFeb/"]Ryu Hae-ran[/a] is looming in a share of second place as the South Korean goes for a third consecutive major.[/p][embed guid="1ed8d6fb-5513-4096-b6ef-a5696b039972" url="https://x.com/AIGWomensOpen/status/2082890384674292064" social-type="twitter" /][p]The 25-year-old has enjoyed a whirlwind few weeks, winning the PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Minnesota in June before adding the Evian Championship in France earlier this month.[/p][p]She made a seamless switch to links golf at Royal Lytham & St Annes, on the coast of northwest England, making four birdies in her first seven holes.[/p][p]After a bogey on the par-four 15th, she recovered to birdie two of the final three holes.[/p][p]"[b]Before I got the major win it was so much pressure and I just wanted to get a win in a major[/b]," said Ryu.[/p][p]"[b]But these days it's more calm. So that's why these days my golf is pretty good. I feel free[/b]."[/p][p]US world number one [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/korda-nelly/4OpkdK7D/"]Nelly Korda[/a], who was grouped with Ryu and 2024 British Open champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ko-lydia/QwaoPVVh/"]Lydia Ko[/a], finished at two-over par.[/p][p]Korda, 28, is also seeking her third major of the year after claiming the Chevron Championship and the US Open.[/p][p]The 2026 season is the first in golf history in which two players, male or female, have won multiple majors.[/p][embed guid="c1cb2e43-3a48-4a68-b847-aec1fb9eb971" url="https://x.com/AIGWomensOpen/status/2082872749806985447" social-type="twitter" /][p]Only six golfers have won three of the game's biggest prizes in a single year, with South Korea's Park In-bee the most recent in 2013.[/p][p]Three-time major winner Ko is at level par as she aims to follow in fellow New Zealander [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fox-ryan/bR9ztYXn/"]Ryan Fox[/a]'s footsteps after he won the men's British Open earlier this month at Royal Birkdale.[/p]