Thursday Thoughts on the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship

1. After a double bogey on the par-4 fifth, it looked like it was going to be more disappointing golf in the majors for Jeeno Thitikul. Then her putter got as hot as the Frisco furnace, and five birdies through six holes shot her up the leaderboard. Thitikul made seven putts over 10 feet and gained almost seven strokes on the field with the flatstick. There's no way she keeps up those numbers the rest of the week, but it has to be a boost of confidence for Thitikul to put together a great round in a major for the first time this year.

2. Viewers tuning into Jeeno's round were able to get context for her impressive putting performance. Not hours later or the following day, but in the middle of the round. That's a rarity in women's golf, but with KPMG Performance Insights and ChampCast (ShotLink-type data) available this week, there is an abundance of data available for the broadcast team. Leading up to Jeeno's 70-foot birdie putt on 18 (which she almost holed), the announcers let fans know that she was just short of 200 feet of putts made for the day. Even though the LPGA doesn't have that type of season-long data readily available, the broadcast let fans know that the record for feet of putts made this year on the PGA Tour is 213. KPMG keeps making strides with statistics, and it's already been a major value add to the viewing experience.

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3. From the giant hospitality tent on the 18th and branded tee overlays to sponsoring a newly christened "Caddie Conversations" segment (also known as when the announcers lay out on the microphone and let the viewers in on player and caddie chats), KPMG has left no integration stone unturned. More substantial investments this week include upping the purse to $12 million, enhanced AI data insights, and expanded featured group coverage. Cheers to the bar continuing to be raised.

4. Leona Maguire shot 72 on Thursday with a massive blister on her right hand. Golfweek's Beth Ann Nichols reported that Maguire suffered from tick bites (plural!) at Erin Hills last month. She's been taking medication that's causing serious skin irritation, and her twin sister, Lisa, had to tend to it twice during Thursday's opening round. The Maguires earned their post-round Guinnesses.

5. Yealimi Noh lost her yardage book at some point early in her first round. She shot a 2-under 70 and was able to lean on her caddie and his book for the rest of the day. Every player in the field had plenty of homework to do early on this week trying to learn as much as they could about Gil Hanse's Fields Ranch East. Hopefully it gets returned and is available for the rest of the week.

6. The PGA of America didn't ease into the course setup for the first round. Windy conditions and some tucked pins made for a difficult day of scoring. The par-3 eighth played downwind, and a front pin made hitting it close nearly impossible. At just 159 yards, the eighth gave up only six birdies, one of which was a 60-footer from Thitikul.

7. She tweaked her neck on Monday and was seen with both mallet and blade putters on the practice green, but none of that seemed to bother Nelly Korda during her opening round. The world No. 1 was positive in SG: Putting and drove the ball extremely well. If she can keep improving her putting and clean up some sloppy approach play, Fields Ranch East should favor her elite ball-striking over the next few days.

8. Minjee Lee continued her good form with a first-round 69. No one's had more rounds in the 60s in majors since 2017 than Lee. She ranks fourth in SG: Total this year, with putting as her best category. She's gained almost an entire stroke on the field since she moved to the broomstick putter. Last year, she lost a stroke in the category and ranked 157th.‍

9. The heat was bound to be a topic of conversation this week. Giving the weather a run for its money, though, is the discourse around how Fields Ranch East is a "home game" for a number of players. Jeeno Thitikul, Minjee Lee, and In-Gee Chun all live around the Metroplex. Prepare yourself for lots of talk about familiarity with bermuda grass and how being acclimated to the high temperatures gives some of the early leaders a leg up on the competition.

10. New LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler made an appearance in the booth with Cara Banks and has plans to spend much of the week onsite at PGA Frisco. Kessler said he’s even more excited and optimistic about the future of the LPGA Tour after meeting and talking with many players earlier this week. He did make the faux pas of winning the pro-am competition on Tuesday. Blame that on his playing partner, Lydia Ko, who, according to Kessler, made everything within 15 feet.

‍This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.