Jeeno Thitikul is ready for the weekend at Mizuho

WEST CALDWELL, N.J — Jeeno Thitikul is ready for the weekend at Mountain Ridge Country Club after shooting 8-under 69 to take the lead after the second round at the Mizuho Americas Open.

The world No. 2 teed off in the afternoon Friday on the back nine, just as the windy conditions we're hitting full force. She had two bogeys and one birdie on her first nine holes, but finished strong with five birdies and one bogey to close out the second round.

"I think the front nine was easier than the back nine anyway. I mean, like shorter, some --two makable par-5, and then it's just make it," Thitikul said.

Mizuho Americas Open 2026 - Round Two

The perfect storm at Mizuho: Major-level links meet ‘May’ weather at Mountain Ridge

The second round of the Mizuho Americas Open was met with blustery and cold conditions that made it feel more like November out on the course than early May.

• Marisa Marcellino

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• Marisa Marcellino

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Thitkul said on Thursday that her coach had told her to “try less,” knowing that she works so hard and gets frustrated when she doesn't see the results she wants.

"Just go play like -- just go do your part, do your job, which is 18 holes, and then you just left. Just go home. Go do something else," she said of her coach's advice.

So, she listened.

"I got my nails done yesterday. I went to the gym...I watching a lot of comedians. I walked to the avenues around the hotel, which had a lot of food to eat," Thitikul explained.

The last few weeks haven't been easy for Thitikul. The 23-year-old didn't make the cut at the first major of the season, The Chevron Championship, at the end of April. A major championship is one accolade that's missing from the former No. 1's impressive resume.

"I mean, like it's just a certain time that you know golf is seem easy for you. Then I have a certain time that why golf is so hard for me, which is Chevron, it's one of the week that I feel like, what did I do wrong? I'm like, what is golf did to me right now?" Thitikul explained.
While she said she didn't feel the need to prove anything this week because she knows she's proved herself for a long time, she's pleasantly surprised by how things are going.

"Coming to this week, didn't expect anything, to be honest. Didn't expect things to be good, but expect my feeling to feel better with golf, and then it's surprisingly came up really good," Thitikul said of her Mizuho performance.

As for the rest of the weekend? Well, she'll be following coach's orders, of course.

"Just let golf be golf and let me be me. Even golf just be mean but we can be kind to ourself. So, I think it's just maybe stick to that process that just another day at the office and then whatever it's turn out to be that turn out to be, and then you figure it out," Thitikul said.

Image for Mizuho Americas Open - Rd 3

Mizuho Americas Open - Rd 3

The third round of the Mizuho Americas Open is underway at Mountain Ridge Country Club in West Caldwell, N.J.

In anticipation of potential inclement weather Saturday, tee times will be moved up and coverage can be seen from 12:30-3:30 p.m. on CNBC (and streaming on GolfChannel.com).