Photo Credit: LPGA/Getty Images
The Heat, the Roar, and the Perfect Round
Shanghai’s skyline shimmered in 90-degree heat Thursday as the LPGA returned to Qizhong Garden Golf Club, a course known as much for its poise as its punishment. But on a day when the bentgrass greens baked under cloudless skies, Arpichaya “Piano” Yubol hit every note perfectly.
Eight birdies. No bogeys. 17 greens in regulation. A buttery 8-under 64 that felt equal parts clinic and confession — a player rediscovering belief in herself on one of the Tour’s biggest stages.
“It’s unbelievable for me,” Yubol said with a grin. “The greens are hard for me, too — but I made it today.”
The 26-year-old Thai, ranked 139th in the world, had been searching for form since Hawaii. After missing the cut there, she and her father — who now caddies for her — changed her approach completely. Gone was her trademark draw. In its place: a fade she can trust.
“I try to trust myself more,” she said. “I used to aim right, now I aim left. It’s working.”
It worked beautifully. She birdied the first three holes, added three more on the back nine, and walked off with the lowest round of her LPGA season — her third-best career score.
When she signed her card, her father gave a quick nod. No words needed.
A Pack of Sevens in the Shadows
Behind her, five players sat one shot back at 7-under — Jeeno Thitikul, Minjee Lee, Jenny Bae, Ina Yoon, and Jenny Shin — each carving their own storyline into the Shanghai heat.
Thitikul’s day began like a horror film: bogey-double start. Three over through two holes. But the world No. 1 did what world No. 1s do — she bounced back with ten birdies over the final sixteen holes, including back-to-back daggers on 17 and 18.
“I just told myself to be calm and not take it personal,” Jeeno said afterward. “You’re going to make mistakes. How you bounce back is more important.”
That’s not resilience. That’s instinct. And it’s why she’s still the heartbeat of the Tour.
Minjee Lee looked like her usual metronome — smooth, balanced, deliberate. Seven birdies, zero bogeys, and not a single sign of strain. Her broomstick putter, the tool that’s defined her 2025 resurgence, was pure poetry again.
“I just don’t have as much pressure with it,” Lee said. “It’s freed me up. I just focus on the stroke — if it goes in, great. If not, I still did my job.”
Lee’s pace was steady all day, never forced, never flustered. On a course that rewards control, she was in total command.
Rookies Rising: Bae and Yoon Step Into the Spotlight
Two LPGA rookies — Jenny Bae and Ina Yoon — matched the world’s best shot for shot.
For Bae, the round felt “peaceful,” a word rarely heard on Tour. Her 65 was the lowest round of her LPGA career and came from a simple mantra: trust the swing, stay centered, and attack pins.
“Everything was just smooth,” she said. “Middle of the club, middle of the fairway, middle of the green.”
She’s been grinding on her short game for months — it paid off.
Yoon’s 65 was equally impressive: an eagle, six birdies, and just one bogey. The 20-year-old South Korean hit iron shots like darts and played with rhythm and joy. “My iron and wedge were amazing today,” she said. “Three tap-in birdies and one tap-in eagle — everything was working.”
It was her fourth round of 65 or better this season — and proof that the LPGA’s youth movement isn’t slowing down.
Ruoning Yin and the Pressure of Home
Defending champion Ruoning Yin shot a 71 — not her best, but not disastrous either. Playing alongside Thitikul and Lee, Yin watched both players set a ferocious pace.
“Jeeno was incredible,” Yin said. “Three over after two holes and then seven under comeback — that’s why she’s No. 1. Playing with them motivates me.”
After two months off, Yin admitted she was rusty but grateful. “It’s my first day back to the office,” she laughed. “Golf teaches you to be humble. My swing feels good — just need to pick up my mind a little bit.”
She’ll enter Round 2 from a crowded mid-pack, where anything under 68 could vault her back into contention.
Home Heroes and Shanghai Moments
The crowds at Qizhong were massive for a Thursday — families, students, and a wall of smartphones following every swing of Yin, Lee, and Thitikul. The buzz hit a new pitch when 19-year-old amateur Menghan Li made the shot of the day: a hole-in-one on the 11th.
Her 8-iron from 143 yards bounced once and disappeared. The gallery exploded. Her groupmates hugged her on the tee. Later, she found out that her ace triggered a charitable donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in her name.
“I didn’t know that,” she said, smiling. “Very happy to do something good.”
In her second straight year as a sponsor’s invite, Li looked like she belonged. “It feels like going home,” she said. “I learn so much from the LPGA players. They are so consistent.”
Meanwhile, fellow Chinese standout Ruixin Liu battled jet lag after arriving from Hawaii at 3 a.m. Tuesday — and still shot a composed 69. “My driver wasn’t the best, but a lot of putts dropped,” she said. “And I had good food in Japan during my layover, so I can’t complain.”
Shanghai’s galleries loved every second of it.
The Course: A Balancing Act
Qizhong Garden is a study in contrasts — soft approaches paired with slick, undulating greens that demand creativity. Thursday’s setup played to 6,581 yards, with a field scoring average of 70.47.
Birdies were out there, but only for those who found the right sections of the greens. The breeze shifted from northeast to east in the afternoon, just enough to make distance control tricky on the long par-3s.
On the back nine, the 17th once again stole the show. The risk-reward par-5 — framed by water on the left — yielded four eagles and a dozen near misses. It’s the kind of hole that will define the week.
Looking Ahead: Round 2 Forecast
Friday’s forecast calls for another steamy day — mid-80s with light winds and afternoon humidity. The greens will firm up as the heat lingers, turning those soft landing zones into bouncing glass by the weekend.
Expect low scores early, tougher pins late, and a leaderboard that keeps shuffling.
Yubol’s 64 set the tone, but she’ll have to fend off a world No. 1, a major champion, and a wave of fearless rookies breathing down her neck.
Shanghai has always been a proving ground for composure. Round 2 might be where the real separation begins.
And if Thursday was any indication — birdies are blooming, and the Garden is wide open.
Fairway Queens – The voice of women’s golf, told with a columnist’s edge.
