HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — England has been well-represented on the leaderboard this week at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, as two of the country’s superstars are contending with 18 holes to play just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Two-time LPGA Tour winner Charley Hull is at the top of what’s a jam-packed leaderboard through 54 holes in the Buckeye State, currently sitting just one stroke ahead of Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul at 16-under for the tournament.

She kicked off her week with a bogey-free 4-under 68, carding four birdies in her first six holes on the front nine at TPC River’s Bend and then parring out to sit in a tie for 13th early. Friday saw Hull play nearly perfect golf, as the 29-year-old made one bogey, six birdies and an eagle on the par-5 11th hole to finish with a 7-under 65, her lowest round on Tour since she opened with a 63 at the Ford Championship presented by Wild Horse Pass in March.

Moving Day saw Hull card her third straight round of 68 or better, as the Englishwoman fired a 5-under 67 after tallying one bogey and six birdies, two of which came back-to-back on the par-5 11th and par-3 12th holes on her closing nine. That lone bogey is one of only two that Hull has made throughout the week at TPC River’s Bend, a weeklong performance that has the 29-year-old leading the field with the fewest bogeys made at the Kroger Queen City Championship.

But Hull hasn’t changed anything about her signature aggressive mentality as she has climbed the leaderboard throughout the first three rounds in Ohio, continuing to attack what’s been a gettable venue as she works to track down her third career LPGA Tour victory and first since the 2022 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America.

“I just feel pretty chill going into the week. I've got some good work in while I was home, or the work I could do, and I just feel relaxed,” said Hull, who tied for second last week on the Ladies European Tour after dealing with a recent injury. “I don't even think like that in depth. I just hit a ball and find it and hit it again, you know what I mean? I think that's the trouble with many golfers – overthinking.

“It's just a game. Hit a white ball at the pin. Make a birdie or make a par, make a bogey, whatever, just roll on to the next hole.”

Farnham, England native and 2025 rookie Lottie Woad is also sitting in the top 10 with one round to play in Hamilton Township, Ohio, currently in a tie for ninth at 12-under overall, just four strokes off Hull’s pace.

Woad has been a picture of consistency throughout the week at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, carding a 68 on Thursday that saw her make two bogeys, four birdies and a hole-out eagle on the par-4 1st hole at TPC River’s Bend. The 21-year-old then bettered her round-one score by one shot on Friday, posting a 67 with one bogey and six birdies on her scorecard, two of which came consecutively on holes 10 and 11.

Saturday saw Woad’s pace slow a little bit, as she only managed a 3-under 69 on a day when the field’s scoring average was nearly two strokes better than par. Still, her round-three performance has Woad in the contention conversation with 18 holes remaining at the Kroger Queen City Championship.

She will likely need a spectacular showing in the final round to catch up with Hull, an athlete who captured both of her LPGA Tour victories when holding the 54-hole lead. But, if Woad has proven anything in her short tenure with the LPGA, all she needs to be is within striking distance after the third round if she wants a shot at making a late move up the leaderboard.

The former Florida State University Seminole fired a 64 in round four of The Amundi Evian Championship back in July, an 8-under effort that saw her finish one stroke outside of a playoff with Grace Kim and Jeeno Thitikul, but that qualified Woad for Tour status via the LPGA Elite Amateur Pathway, membership she ultimately accepted the following week.

And in her first four starts as an official member of the LPGA, Woad became a Rolex First-Time Winner in her professional debut at the ISPS HANDA Women’s Scottish Open, winning by three shots over major champion Hyo Joo Kim, and has racked up two other top-15 results at the AIG Women’s Open (T8) and the FM Championship (T15).

But with a formidable slate of opponents to contend with on Sunday at the Kroger Queen City Championship, Woad and even Hull definitely have their work cut out for them in the final round at TPC River’s Bend, a battle the two are more than prepared to fight as they try to capture another LPGA Tour victory for England.

Englishwomen Hull, Woad are Leading, Lurking With 18 Holes Remaining at Kroger Queen City Championship

Related Articles