Jeeno Thitikul Explains Why the New Course Is More Challenging at the Chevron Championship
MENLO PARK, CA - MARCH 21: Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand tees off on the 15th hole during the third round of the LPGA, Golf Damen Fortinet Founders Cup on March 21, 2026 at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 21 LPGA Fortinet Founders Cup EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2603212053
MENLO PARK, CA - MARCH 21: Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand tees off on the 15th hole during the third round of the LPGA, Golf Damen Fortinet Founders Cup on March 21, 2026 at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire GOLF: MAR 21 LPGA Fortinet Founders Cup EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2603212053
Jeeno Thitikul arrived at the Chevron Championship facing significantly tougher greens and steep run-offs than last year.
The World No. 1 spent two weeks sharpening her iron play following recent struggles with ball control. Thitikul now looks to translate those mechanical improvements into a major victory when play begins tomorrow.
"I think it's totally different than Woodland for sure... but obviously the greens are tougher than last year for sure." Thitikul shared during Tuesday's press conference.
The complexity stems from the large putting surfaces that feature steep run-offs in every section. Thitikul believes this design will "challenge up and down" play, forcing golfers to be nearly perfect with their recovery shots.
April 18, 2025, Tarzana, California, USA: Jeeno Thitikul during round two of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro Friday April 18, 2025 at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California. JAVIER ROJAS/PI Tarzana USA - ZUMAp124 20250418_zaa_p124_121 Copyright: xJavierxRojasx
April 18, 2025, Tarzana, California, USA: Jeeno Thitikul during round two of the JM Eagle LA Championship presented by Plastpro Friday April 18, 2025 at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California. JAVIER ROJAS/PI Tarzana USA - ZUMAp124 20250418_zaa_p124_121 Copyright: xJavierxRojasx
Getting prepared for such a scenario became extremely difficult due to the constant rains. Thitikul practiced just 18 holes before the rains arrived, playing them on both Sunday and Monday.
Before the upcoming tournament, Thitikul skipped one tournament in Los Angeles to practice hitting for two weeks with her coach.
Jeeno Thitikul on Regaining Iron Precision for Carlton Woods
Thitikul admitted that her recent struggles with iron shots have created significant psychological barriers when competing. The lack of control was one of the factors that led to a period of confusion, during which she struggled to predict her ball flight accurately.
Her frustration was evident from her words, "From Founders to Aramco I feel like that one thought of swing, it's -- I don't have it. That's why I can't controlling my ball as much as possible."
While she admitted she faced technical problems, she believed her overall game would rise to the occasion and overcome any challenges posed by the new location.
"If you were in contention every week, you saw your name on the top in every week, which mean your game is there and then just matter of time," said Thitikul about her aspirations in a major.
With improvements made to her iron game, Thitikul hopes to overcome the difficulty of the new greens. She'll tee off tomorrow at the Memorial Park Golf Course to play for the winner's purse of $1.35 million.
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Written by
Abhishek Sharma
Edited by
Sagnik Bagchi