Defending champ Jeeno grabs three-shot lead at windy Mizuho Americas Open

Defending champion Jeeno Thitikul has a three-stroke lead midway through the LPGA Mizuho Americas Open in New Jersey (Sarah Stier)

(Sarah Stier/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)

Defending champion Jeeno Thitikul pounced late after gusty winds died down to fire a three-under par 69 and take a three-stroke lead in the LPGA Mizuho Americas Open on Friday.

The world number two from Thailand built a 36-hole total of eight-under 136 at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, New Jersey, where the chilly, blustery winds made putting the speedy, undulating greens particularly difficult for much of the day.

She was three shots clear of American Jennifer Kupcho, who also carded a 69 for 139.

"I didn't do well when the wind (was) really picking up in the beginning," Jeeno said. "Luckily we didn't have much wind on the back nine. After the rain came the wind just, like, shut down.

"We were just lucky. If we got the breeze (that we had) on the front nine, I don't think my number is going to be that low for sure."

Jeeno, who won last year when the tournament was played at Liberty National, teed off on 10 and had two bogeys and a birdie in her first nine holes.

After a birdie and a bogey at the first and second she got rolling, seizing the solo lead with back-to-back birdies at the third and fourth and picking up two more strokes at the sixth and eighth.

Although she acknowledged the luck of her tee time, Jeeno was also pleased with her game.

"I just hit it good, too," she said. "I made two long putts. I hit it good on the par three and then birdied two par-fives, reaching the green."

Kupcho's day was almost a mirror image of Jeeno's as she teed off early and had five birdies in the first 13 holes before a pair of late bogeys dropped her to five-under.

"I think early this morning on the front nine there was definitely a lot less wind, hardly any at all really," said Kupcho, whose four LPGA titles include a major at the 2022 Chevron Championship.

Once the wind kicked up, she said, players had to take care not to run putts off the green.

"The greens are really fast, so you just have to think about it and just be careful about what you're doing.