Hull takes advantage of Thitikul's
final-hole meltdown to win Kroger Queen City title
[September 15, 2025]
By MAURA CAREY
MAINEVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Charley Hull took advantage of top-ranked
Jeeno Thitikul's final-hole putting meltdown Sunday to win the
Kroger Queen City Championship.
Thitikul — a stroke ahead after Hull bogeyed the par-4 17th —
four-putted the par-5 18th from about 50 feet, missing a 5-footer
and a 3-foot comebacker. Hull two-putted from about 30 feet, making
a 2-footer for the victory.
“I wasn’t really watching her putt for birdie because I thought she
was going to hole it,” Hull said. “Then, yeah, I guess it’s not over
until the fat lady sings, but I was shaking over that last putt
because I just didn’t expect it.”
Fighting ankle and back issues, Hull closed with a 4-under 68 to
finish at 20-under 268 at TPC River’s Bend. The 29-year-old English
player won her third LPGA Tour title and first since 2022. She also
has four victories on the Ladies European Tour.
“I tore the ligament completely in half on my foot in a car park the
week after the British Open at a golf event. Got told it could be up
to nine weeks I could be out. I was like, `Wow!′ I turned it round
in three weeks and played last week. Had an MRI on my back as well
because I’ve picked up a box couple months before Evian and I think
I tore something in my back because it never got better.”
Thitikul matched Hull with a 68. The Thai star — the winner in May
at Liberty National in New Jersey, missed a chance to become the
first multiple winner on the tour this season.
Lottie Woad of England was third at 18 under after a 66.
Miyu Yamashita (69) was 17 under, and second-ranked Nelly Korda (70)
followed at 15 under with Nasa Hataoka (65), Chisato Iwai (71), Sei
Young Kim (69), Jennifer Kupcho (67), Mary Liu (70) and Maja Stark
(69).
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Jeeno Thitikul, of Thailand, tees off on the first hole during the
fourth round of the Kroger Queen City Championship golf tournament,
Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, at TPC River's Bend in Cincinnati. (AP
Photo/Tanner Pearson)
Hull was coming off a runner-up finish in Houston
last week as part of the Aramco series on the European tour.
“It’s been a rocky couple of months," Hull said. "Obviously,
fainting at Evian, doing my back, and then tearing the ligament in
my ankle. I sound like a bit of a car crash. I don’t know. I suppose
pain is just a weakness of the mind. Probably does me a bit of a
favor sometimes because I end up doing too much, too much gym,
practice, overthinking. It’s given me time to chill and that’s
probably what I needed.”
She worked hard to get her game back in shape.
“I’ve just been absolutely grinding hard at home after I had 14 days
off because of my injury, and then the last week hitting so many
golf balls and practicing hard,” Hull said. “Hard work pays off, and
it has, and I just feel good at the moment.”
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