WEST CALDWELL _ Jennifer Kupcho, in second place at the Mizuho America's Open after two rounds, said that windy conditions over the last nine holes markedly affected her play.

The front nine, where she posted a 32 and had four birdies on Friday, May 8, allowed her to get closer to the pins and to be more aggressive with her putter. The back nine, however, was like another world, one which required cautious and thoughtful play.

"I think early this morning on the front nine there was definitely a lot less wind, hardly any at all really," said Kupcho (70-69-139). "It was a lot easier to get closer to the pins and, honestly, just be a little bit more aggressive with the putts.

"Come the back nine when it was windy, as it is right now, I think you kind of have to be a little bit careful not to putt to, say, 10 feet by or more or even 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."

Kupcho, whose tee time today was 8:10 a.m., indicated that there was more than the gusts that made the going tough on the back nine at Mountain Ridge Country Club.

"(On holes) 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18, all of those hole pin placements were on the sides of a hill," she said. "For the wind and the speed we're playing the greens, I don't know that they're going to be playable this afternoon, to be quite honest. It's a really hard golf course. All of those greens on the back nine are also just more undulated, so there is nowhere to put the pins."

Seeking her fifth win on the LPGA Tour, Kupcho, a native of Colorado, hopes to find more success in New Jersey. In June of 2025, she captured the ShopRite Classic in Galloway with a three-round score of 68-64-66-198.

Her plan for the weekend is "to keep playing smart" and to put herself "in good positions."

Jeeno Thitikul shot a 69 in the second round and held the lead after posting a 67 on Thursday. Thitikul, who went out on 10, had two bogeys over her first nine holes. She ended with six birdies, five on her last nine holes.

Thitikul, too, was challenged by the wind.

"I didn't do it well when the wind really picking up in the beginning," Thitikul said. "I mean, luckily we don't have much wind on the back nine after the rain came and then the wind just like shut down. Then we just lucky. If we got the breeze the front nine I don't think my number is going to be that low for sure.

When the wind picking up its play, it obviously played so hard here, but plus the wind it's harder for sure."

Despite missing the cut at the Chevron Tournament, Thitikul feels confident and said she has nothing to prove.

"I don't think I have to prove anything to like even other players or or myself, because like what I have I already proven for a long, long time," she said. "It's just a certain time that you know golf seems 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 just hit one right. I don't know which hole. I hit one driver right on the cart path and hit the cart part over the bounds, like out of bounds."

She's been in control here and, although she cited some issues with her irons, she is taking the advice of her coach, Kris Assawapimonporn, and not trying too hard.

 In third place with 140 is Brooke Matthews, another American who has been on the LPGA Tour since 2022. Matthews missed five consecutive cuts this year before last week's Riviera Maya Open when she finished tied for 35th.

Matthews, in an interview after the first round, indicated that she was putting well and staying below the holes. She avoided "firing at pins" and "played chess out there." The biggest highlight thus far of her 36 holes was the eagle she got on No. 6 in the opening round.