Charley Hull wins first LPGA Tour title in three years after Jeeno Thitikul choke

A visibly emotional Charley Hull said "it's not over until the fat lady sings" after she picked up her first LPGA Tour title in three years at the Queen City Championship. 

Hull went into the final round at TPC River's Bend in Ohio leading the top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul by one stroke.  

She looked as though she had spurned another glorious chance for victory when she dropped a stroke at the 71st hole having just tied for the lead. 

Both players had eagle putts on the 18th but, astonishingly, Thitikul four-putted to drop back to 19-under. 

Hull looked uncomfortable, but converted the two-foot putt to reach 20-under and win by one. 

In the immediate aftermath of victory, the 29-year-old turned to her caddie Adam Woodward and gestured that her hands were shaking uncontrollably. 

It represents her first win since the 2022 Volunteers of America Classic in Texas.

"I wasn't really watching her putt for birdie, because I thought she was going to hole it," Hull said.  

"And 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. But yeah, it feels pretty good."

Hull and Thitikul emerged from a log-jammed leaderboard that included Women's Open winner Miyu Yamashita and rising star Lottie Woad.

England's Hull made the turn in 33 strokes thanks to putting circles on her card at the sixth, seventh and eighth to reach 19-under. 

Thitikul joined her on the same score with a birdie at the 11th and pulled clear at the 14th. 

Hull tied the lead with a birdie at the 16th when her playing partner could only manage a par, only to give it straight back. 

"It was weird because on 17 I hit an actually pretty decent tee shot, I felt pretty pumped," Hull said.  

"And I couldn't miss it in the left rough, and the bunker was fine, but I was in the lip of the bunker.

"If it was three feet back, I would have had a shot to the green, so I bogeyed that one, and then just birdied the last. So yeah, it was pretty cool."

Asked the win made her feel, Hull said: "It feels pretty good, and now I get to go home and see my boyfriend."

Hull had finished runner-up in her last two tournaments, including at last week's Houston Championship.

It was her first appearance since sustaining ankle ligament damage after slipping in a car park in August.

Hull won her first LPGA event in 2016.  

She was beaten in a play-off at the 2023 Queen City Championship.

A major championship title still eludes her.