Wannasaen Leads in Queen City: Thitikul and Hull Chase Title

Chanettee Wannasaen leads the Kroger Queen City Championship

Thai golfer Chanettee Wannasaen maintained her lead at the Kroger Queen City Championship, with a two-stroke advantage on Friday. The competition in the tournament is fierce, with outstanding performances from Jeeno Thitikul and Charley Hull. Wannasaen, 21, is seeking her third consecutive victory on the LPGA Tour. She shot a round of 68 strokes, four under par, at TPC River’s Bend, reaching a total of 13 under par, 131 strokes. Her initial performance was 63.

“I just want to play like this,” Wannasaen said. “I don’t think about the score. I just want to hit the ball like this, hit the iron like this. I just want to enjoy golf again.”

Chanettee Wannasaen

Thitikul and Hull share second place with Olivia Cowan. Wannasaen made an eagle on a par 4 for the second consecutive day, this time on the 13th hole, his fourth hole of the day. He had already done it on the 10th hole in the first round. Thitikul, 22, completed a round of 64 strokes, including four consecutive birdies in the last nine holes. Thitikul won the Mizuho Americas Open in June, achieving her fifth victory on the LPGA Tour.

“I think I’m trying to make putts here,” Thitikul said. “The course isn’t easy. It has a lot of slope and you need to judge the putt perfectly to get it in the hole.”

Jeeno Thitikul

Hull achieved an eagle on the 11th hole and birdies on the last two holes, finishing with a round of 65 strokes. The English player comes from a second place in the Aramco Series of the Ladies European Tour.

“I’m aiming at the flag,” Hull said. “I like going at the flag. I find it boring otherwise.”

Charley Hull

Cowan, from Germany, tied Hull with 65 strokes. Maja Stark (66), Sei Young Kim (68), and Gigi Stoll (69) were at 10 under par. Nelly Korda, world number two, leads the group with 9 under par after a round of 68. Korda has yet to achieve victories this season.

“You have to be aggressive,” Korda said. “The greens are soft, but hitting fairways and greens is key to having a good putt.”

Nelly Korda

The defending champion, Lydia Ko, achieved a round of 69 strokes, reaching 5 under par. Alison Lee missed the cut in her first event after giving birth to a child in April, with rounds of 76 and 73 strokes.