Hull takes advantage of Thitikul's final-hole meltdown to win Kroger Queen City title

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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).

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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