Staff WriterCharley Hull finally found her way back into the winner’s circle, snapping a 1,077-day drought with a gutsy victory at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.
The English star fired six birdies against two bogeys in her final round to close at 20-under, securing her third career LPGA title and her first since 2022.
For a player who’s made a living dancing on the edge of greatness, this one mattered. Hull had finished runner-up in Cincinnati just two years ago, and after back-to-back second places at the AIG Women’s Open and the Aramco Houston Championship, she looked determined not to play bridesmaid again. This time, she slammed the door.
“Yeah, definitely up there,” Hull said, exhaling the relief of a champion who’s taken a few punches. “Obviously I think coming from British Open I really wanted to play Canada and Boston after because I was on such a roll.
I was just worried it was just going to make me feel down and depressed and put a halt to my game. I’ve managed to battle through it, come back second and won this week. Yeah, I’m pretty happy.”
History Made in Cincinnati
Hull’s win at the Kroger Queen City Championship wasn’t just personal redemption—it was historic. She became the first Englishwoman to lift the trophy in the event’s short but growing history, and only the fourth English player ever to notch three or more LPGA wins. She also joined compatriot Lottie Woad as part of a rare English double this season.
Statistically, Hull was clinical all week:
- 22 birdies (T4)
- Only 4 bogeys (T2)
- 106 putts (T6)
It’s the kind of efficiency you’d expect from Rolex World No. 8, and her persistence finally paid off. The victory also pushed her season earnings north of $1.7 million and gave her a third straight finish inside the top two. Not bad for someone still battling the ghosts of close calls.
The One That Got Away
Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul must have felt like she was mugged at gunpoint by golf itself. She led nearly wire-to-wire, poured in 24 birdies, and then—on the final hole—her putter betrayed her. A four-putt at the worst possible moment dropped her into second at 19-under.
It was her third runner-up finish of the season and her second straight at this tournament. In other words, heartbreak is becoming a regular pen pal. Still, her consistency remains frightening: eight top-five finishes in 2025 and three straight top-10s entering the home stretch.
Woad Keeps Impressing
If Hull’s win was redemption, Lottie Woad’s third-place finish at 18-under was validation. The 21-year-old hit fairways like a machine (52 of 56) and greens like she owned stock in turf (61 of 72). She rolled in 21 birdies and even tossed in an eagle for good measure.
“I don’t think I’ve done too much different,” Woad admitted. “I think I’ve just been working out how to navigate the practice days… not overdoing it playing 18 every day. Just managing that and make sure I conserve energy a little bit. Been good the last few events.”
It’s her first top-10 in the U.S., adding to her wins at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open and a T8 at the AIG Women’s Open. The rookie season dream continues.
Yamashita Keeps Rolling
Japan’s Miyu Yamashita claimed her fifth straight top-10 with a 17-under finish, good for fourth. Her run stretches back to July’s Scottish Open and includes her breakout victory at the AIG Women’s Open. She ranked inside the top six for birdies (22), bogeys (5), and greens in regulation (59 of 72).
“So I want to play as much as I can,” she said afterwards. “I want to do my best and win more again.”
The Chase Pack
Seven players tied for fifth at 15-under, each with their own fireworks:
- Nasa Hataoka blitzed her front nine for a bogey-free 65. “Yeah, very happy to play bogey-free round,” she grinned.
- Jennifer Kupcho went nuclear with a back-nine 30, needing just ten putts.
- Maja Stark continued her resurgence, though she admitted: “Yeah, it’s my long game. Keep making sure I’m doing what I should throughout the weeks.”
- Sei Young Kim, who also tied fifth, said: “Yeah, especially final round I played quite strong… Pin position wasn’t easy today, so I’m very glad to that.”
Even Nelly Korda got in on the action, tying for the week’s birdie lead with 24. Defending champ Lydia Ko, meanwhile, could only manage T14, though she played a bogey-free final round for pride’s sake.
Final Word
The Kroger Queen City Championship delivered everything you want from a late-season LPGA slugfest: redemption, heartbreak, history, and the reminder that golf—like life—rarely takes the straight path.
Charley Hull, after nearly three years in the desert, has her oasis. Thitikul will need to sleep off another cruel finish. Woad and Yamashita? Their careers are only just beginning to warm up.
The only guarantee is this: Cincinnati has a knack for producing drama, and if the past two years are anything to go by, the Kroger Queen City Championship might be one of the LPGA’s must-watch stops for years to come.
| Club | Model | Specs | Shaft / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Qi10 LS | 8.0° | Not specified |
| Hybrid | Charley Hull Qi35 Hybrid | — | Not specified |
| Rescue | Qi35 | 17° | Not specified |
| Rescue | Qi35 | 19° | Not specified |
| Long Iron | P·770 | 4-Iron | Not specified |
| Irons | P·7MB | 5–PW | Not specified |
| Wedges | MG5 | 48° · 54° · 60° | Not specified |
| Putter | TP SOTO | — | — |
| Ball | TP5x | — | — |
