Hull leads by one after Queen City third round

Queen City Championship third round leaderboard

-16 Hull (Eng); -15 Thitikul (Tha); -14 Yamashita, Iwai (both Jpn); -13 Korda, Noh (both US), Liu (Chn), Pagdanganan (Phi); -12 Cowan (Ger), Kim (Kor), Stark (Swe), Woad (Eng), Ruffels (Aus)

England’s Charley Hull will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Queen City Championship as she seeks her third LPGA Tour title.

The 29-year-old carded a five-under round of 67, including six birdies and one bogey, to move top on 16 under overall, one stroke ahead of Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Japanese pair Chisato Iwai and Miyu Yamashita are joint third on 14 under, while American two-time major winner Nelly Korda and England’s Lottie Woad are also in contention on 13 and 12 under respectively.

Hull hit an impressive seven-under 65 in round two to move up the leaderboard and backed it up with another assured performance on Saturday.

A bogey on the par-three fifth was her only blemish, with four birdies on the back nine helping her take the lead.

Hull has finished runner-up in her last two tournaments, including at last week’s Houston Championship, which was her first appearance since sustaining ankle ligament damage after slipping in a car park in August.