July 30 (Reuters) - Thailand's Atthaya 'Jeeno' Thitikul blazed to a seven-under 64 opening round at the Women's British Open on Thursday to snatch the lead from South Korean favourite Ryu Hae-ran.
Thitikul took full advantage of calm late conditions to post the best round of the day on the Royal Lytham links and move into a two-shot lead.
Seven birdies in a flawless round gave the world number two the perfect start as the 23-year-old seeks to shed the tag of the best female player never to win a major.
Hours before, Ryu began her hunt for a third successive major with a five-under 66 to grab the clubhouse lead.
She was later joined on five under by Japan's Shiho Kuwaki with American Yealimi Noh and France's Celine Boutier a further shot back after rounds of 67.
World number one Nelly Korda, who like Ryu has won two majors this season, struggled to a two-over 73, never sustaining a recovery from two bogeys in her opening three holes.
Ryu won the PGA Championship and became the first golfer to shoot a round of 60 at a major to claim the Evian title this month and looked full of confidence.
She got off to the perfect start with a birdie on the par-three first and gained further shots at the fourth, sixth and seventh with her accurate iron play setting up opportunities.
A bogey at the 15th was her only blemish but she responded by holing an 18-foot putt for birdie at the 16th before another birdie at the last.
"This type of golf course it is hard to make par if you go in the fairway bunkers and today I hit a couple of times in the bunkers but made some pretty good saves," she told reporters.
"Hopefully, tomorrow I'll stay in the fairway."
American Korda has already given herself a mountain to climb but England's world number five Lottie Woad put herself in the mix with a solid opening two-under 69, featuring no bogeys.
Woad, who along with Charley Hull will be fancied to become the first English winner since Georgia Hall at Lytham in 2018, was frustrated as an eagle putt lipped out on the sixth and a birdie putt suffered the same fate at the seventh.
Despite missing a few putts, however, Woad was happy with her start, especially as she avoided any bunkers.
"A good start. No bogeys, which is always a good round here. Hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. Didn't make too many putts but definitely take two under."
Hull put together a very different round of 69 with four bogeys and six birdies.
New Zealand's Lydia Ko, winner of the title in 2024, carded a level-par first round while defending champion Miyu Yamashita had to settle for a one-over 72.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)
