Moriya Jutanugarn Shines at Home in Honda LPGA Thailand

Moriya Jutanugarn Shines at Home in Honda LPGA Thailand

Thailand native Moriya Jutanugarn put on a stellar performance in front of a home-country crowd on Thursday during the first round of the Honda LPGA Thailand.

The 30-year-old golfer carded a 6-under 66 to kick off the week at Siam Country Club’s Old Course, showcasing a strong start with seven birdies and just one bogey. Her impressive round included a stretch of three birdies in four holes on Nos. 2, 3, and 5, quickly putting her in early contention. Local fans and supporters turned out in force, something Jutanugarn was thrilled to see.

“Every time coming back here, we always had really, really good support from Thai fans,” said Jutanugarn. “Now we even have more international. I saw a lot of Japanese, Koreans. That means they love LPGA and always come back here.”

Jutanugarn is making her third start of the 2025 season after participating in the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions (T30) and the Founders Cup presented by U.S. Virgin Islands (T48). This marks her 15th appearance in the Honda LPGA Thailand, where she has previously secured three top-10 finishes, including a career-best runner-up finish in 2018, when she also opened with a 66.

Her 66 on Thursday is her first round of 66 or better since the Portland Classic, where she fired 64-66 over the weekend to claim her first LPGA Tour victory since winning the Dow Championship with her sister, Ariya Jutanugarn, in 2021. It was also her first individual win since the 2018 HUGEL-JTBC LA Open.

The 2024 season was a solid one for the three-time LPGA Tour winner, as she made 18 cuts in 27 starts and recorded one top-10 finish in addition to her win in Oregon. She also had five other top-25 finishes, including T21 results at the Blue Bay LPGA, Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass, and the Mizuho Americas Open.

While she acknowledged the challenges of refining her game, Jutanugarn emphasized the importance of patience and continuous improvement.

“Last year was another year of working on a lot of things,” said Jutanugarn. “Sometimes, things come together well, and sometimes they don’t. But I think that’s just part of the game, and you have to deal with it. It actually keeps me excited to go out and work on something every day.”

As she heads into the next three days at the Honda LPGA Thailand, Jutanugarn will need to maintain her momentum to keep pace with Japanese rookie Akie Iwai, who tied the 18-hole tournament scoring record with a 10-under 62 in the first round.

With golf betting gaining popularity, fans will be keeping a close eye on the odds for Jutanugarn and other contenders. Given her strong start and deep familiarity with the course, she could be a smart pick for bettors looking for value in the field.

“This course is always one of the best we play all year, and the greens are rolling really nicely this week. It’s quite tricky with a lot of slope, but sometimes you just have to be patient out there,” said Jutanugarn. “It’s been fun. Of course, when you start making putts and seeing the ball go in, it’s even more fun. But more than anything, I try to focus on what I want to do and what I’m working on.

“All I have to do this week is enjoy everything because we don’t really get to play at home as much as we want to, so I just want to enjoy every moment.”