WASHINGTON: England’s Charley Hull birdied four of the last eight holes to grab a one-stroke lead over Thailand’s top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul after Saturday’s third round of the LPGA Queen City Championship.
The 29-year-old Briton fired a five-under par 67 to stand on 16-under 200 after 54 holes at TPC River’s Bend in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“I put in some good work when I was home, all the work that I could do and (I) feel relaxed,” Hull said after being home last month. “Just (have to) play like I did the last few days and go out there and have some fun.”
Jeeno fired a 68 to stand second on 201 with Japan’s Chizato Iwai and Miyu Yamashita sharing third on 202 after each shot 66.
Hull has won four times on the Ladies European Tour, most recently at Riyadh last November, and twice on the LPGA Tour, at the 2016 Tour Championship and 2022 Volunteers of America Classic.
This marks the eighth time she has led or shared the lead entering an LPGA final round, with both her tour wins coming from those tournaments.
Hull answered her second bogey of the week, at the par-three fifth, with birdies at the par-three seventh and par-four ninth holes, then added back-to-back birdies at the par-five 11th and par-three 12th, another at 15 and a final birdie at the par-five 18th.
“Just played pretty solid,” Hull said. “Just kept it going out there. Kept playing steady golf and made a nice birdie to finish.”
Hull found 10 of 14 fairways and reached 12 of 18 greens in regulation, making 27 putts on the day.
Jeeno, 22, birdied the third and fourth holes, the par-five eighth and 11th and answered a bogey at 17 with a closing birdie.
“I think I can make a birdie almost all the par-fives that I have,” Jeeno said. “I think I do have a lot of chances to make a birdie, but my putter didn’t come up today.”
World number two Nelly Korda and fellow American Yealimi Noh were in a fifth-place pack on 203 with Mary Liu of China and Bianca Pagdanganan of the Philippines.
A group on 204 included England’s Lottie Woad, Australian Gabriela Ruffels, Germany’s Olivia Cowan, South Korean Kim Sei-young and Sweden’s Maja Stark.
Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen, who led after the first and second rounds, fired a 75 to stand on 206.
Defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand was on 208 after firing a 69.