The 2023 LPGA Kroger Queen City Championship was marked by rallies, and a new world number. 1.
Minjee Lee had been six shots behind the leader after 36 holes, but by the time she reached the 10th hole of Sunday’s final round, the five-shot advantage was hers. Ballgame, right?
Lee Corso, ESPN college football analyst, likes to say, “Not so fast, friends. That’s when Charley Hull put on her own rally at Kenwood Country Club, Cincinnati.”
Hull birdied No. 11, a par-3, and then recovered from a bogey at the next hole by making three consecutive birdies. The top three holes were 14, 15 and 16, which tied the team at 16 under.
Lee and Hull were tied at the 18th tee and both hit their driver into the fairway bunker. Their balls ended up within 10 feet of one another.
Hull then blasted her ball out to the front edge, giving herself a 54 foot birdie to win. She missed left, and watched as Lee’s third shot, a chip from about eight feet away, needed to make her par putt, which she made for a final round 71. Hull made her own one-footer to par for her final-round score of 69. The two then headed back to 18th tee for the ninth LPGA playoff.
Hull’s shot, which was Hull’s second on the first playoff hole, took a big bounce and landed near the grandstands in front of the green. Her putt off the green rolled, rolled, rolled again and came to rest just one rotation shy of the cup.
Lee pulled her birdie shot from 20 feet left, and then it was on to the 18th hole for a new playoff hole. Lee’s second shot landed just short of the green, but bounced on and rolled about three feet. She then made the birdie to win.
The putt that sealed @minjeegolf was golden! pic.twitter.com/pre6i0V04R
LPGA (@LPGA 10 September 2023
Lee won her ninth LPGA title and her first of the new season. She has now achieved seven top-20 finishes over her last nine events. Lee now has six victories in the last eight tournaments where she was leading after three rounds.
Hull came up just short of winning her third LPGA title.
New No. 1 in Rolex Rankings New No. 1 in Rolex Rankings
Ruoning Yun plays her shot at the fifth tee in the final round of 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship held at Kenwood Country Club, Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo: Dylan Buell/Getty Images).
Ruoning Yi, who came in third place at 14 under par, but couldn’t catch the leaders, will move up to No. The Rolex Rankings will be updated on Monday.
Lilia Vu will be displaced by her. A month ago, she was No. 1 after winning the AIG Women’s Open 2023. Yin, No. The No. 2 ranking heading into this week was not in the top 400 at the same time last year.
Defending champ earns solo fourth
Ally Ewing takes off at the first hole in the final round of 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship held at Kenwood Country Club. (Photo by Albert Cesare/The Enquirer).
Ally Ewing shot a 66 to finish fourth, despite having won the first Kroger Queen City Championship 2022.
Mel Reid shot a final round 66 and tied for fifth place, her best season finish. This was also her first time in the top 10. She had missed the cut on four of her previous five occasions when she entered the Kroger.
Brooke Henderson celebrated her 26th birthday and recorded another Sunday 66. She was tied for 23rd.
Rose Zhang shot a 72, par on Sunday. She had posted a 73 the day before. She tied for 31st.
Eighty golfers played in the tournament.
