The 25-year-old is attempting to become the first woman since Annika Sorenstam (2004-05) to win in five consecutive starts, and just the third in the history of the LPGA Tour, also matching Nancy Lopez (1978).
“Sometimes when you start to make mistakes you just don’t really feel confident or you don’t feel that great,” she said.
“But I just told myself that it’s the first hole of the tournament today. Even though I may have made a double, I wanted to save a bogey. There is still so much golf to be played and there is still a good bit of gettable par-5s, that’s usually what I think about, just the opportunities that I have ahead.”
Thitkul, 21, a two-time LPGA winner, who is playing in her first tournament of the year after a thumb injury, finished strongly with a birdie at the 18th while rookie Im, who had four wins on the Korean tour last year, led the field in putting in her round.
There were emotional scenes at the last hole when two-time major winner Ryu So-yeon of South Korea said her final farewell to the tour after missing the cut.
“I’m very numb now. I just cannot believe this is real. Nobody pushed me to retire. That was my decision. Still I just cannot believe this is real,” said the 33-year-old.