After holding the 54-hole lead and being neck and neck with Jeeno Thitikul coming down the stretch on Sunday afternoon at the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, it was ultimately Charley Hull who took home the victory, capturing her first win on the LPGA Tour since the 2022 Ascendant LPGA benefiting Volunteers of America and her third career title at TPC River’s Bend in Hamilton Township, Ohio.
With the win, Hull is now the 25th different champion on the LPGA Tour this season, extending a streak that has stretched across 24 events and that began at the season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions. And while the Englishwoman was delighted to be the one hoisting the trophy just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, Hull was surprised that she even had an opportunity to win as Thitikul four-putted the 18th hole to finish at 19-under.
“I just thought I had to make the eagle to be fair. I wasn’t really watching her putt for birdie because I thought she was going to hole it,” Hull said. “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. But feels pretty good.”
Playing in the final group alongside Thitikul and rookie Chisato Iwai, Hull began the day with a one-shot lead over Thitikul at 16-under total. After going birdie-bogey-par on her first three holes of the round, Thitikul tied Hull at 16-under with a birdie on the par-4 4th hole.
Hull answered the call with a birdie on six to take the lead once again at 17-under, and the pair matched birdies on the par-3 7th hole, keeping Hull one ahead of Thitikul at 18-under total. Hull then held a two-stroke lead after picking up a third straight birdie on the par-5 8th hole to climb to 19-under, but Thitikul wasn’t going to just fall away without putting up a fight.
The Thailand native landed a punch with a birdie on 10 to get to 18-under and one back of Hull, but Thitikul once again matched birdies with the two-time LPGA Tour winner on 11, remaining one shot behind the Englishwoman as Hull climbed to 20-under. Hull then stumbled with a bogey on 13 to drop back to 19-under and into a tie for the lead, a mistake of which Thitikul took advantage on the next hole, grabbing a birdie on 14 to get to 20-under and take the lead for the first time with four holes still to play.
Hull then tied the Rolex Rankings No. 1 at 20-under with a birdie on the par-3 16th hole, bogeying 17 to slip back to 19-under, one shot behind Thitikul with only the reachable par-5 18th remaining. Both athletes found the green on the last with their second shots, each setting themselves up for a critical eagle opportunity and – at worst – a two-putt birdie.
But Thitikul surprisingly four-putted the final green and made bogey to ultimately post a 72-hole total of 19-under, swinging the door wide open for Hull to take home the Kroger Queen City Championship title. And with hands that were shaking from both shock at Thitikul’s late misstep and heart-thumping adrenaline, the 29-year-old cleaned up her birdie putt to finish at 20-under and take home her first LPGA Tour title in 1,077 days.
“It feels good,” said Hull, who fell in a playoff to Minjee Lee at the 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship. “Plenty of second-place finishes in the last few years and even in the last couple weeks coming from the British Open, and then last week finished second on the Ladies European Tour, and then to get the win, it feels pretty good.”
She later continued when asked what this win does for her confidence the rest of the year, “I’m buzzing. Got the International Crown coming up and Korea and then The ANNIKA and Tour Championship. I’ve won around that Tour Championship course before, so I’m buzzing to go out there and play a bit of golf. Not too much because I’m still managing my ankle and that.
“I feel like now I know I can do it. It’s been a bit of a drought. I’ve had quite a few second-place finishes, and it’s just always been the bridesmaid, and now I’m the bride finally.”
Thitikul finished alone in second to tally her 11th top-10 result of the 2025 season and second consecutive runner-up showing on the LPGA Tour, as she also came in second behind Miranda Wang at the FM Championship. Including her win at the Mizuho Americas Open, it’s the ninth time that the 22-year-old has found herself in the top five in 2025, and it’s the second consecutive year that Thitikul has been runner-up in the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G.
English rookie Lottie Woad was alone in third in her fifth tournament since becoming an LPGA Tour member in late July, finishing at 18-under overall. AIG Women’s Open champion Miyu Yamashita came in fourth at 17-under total, while seven players, including 15-time LPGA Tour winner Nelly Korda and 2025 U.S. Women’s Open winner Maja Stark, tied for fifth at 15-under total.
Defending champion Lydia Ko tied for 14th after posting a 5-under 67 on Sunday at TPC River’s Bend.
