England’s Lottie Woad demonstrated impressive skill at the LPGA Tour’s Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio. She heads into the final round with a commanding three-shot lead following a 65 in the weather-affected third round. Woad now sits at 11 under par, well ahead of competitors like Amanda Doherty, who trails in second place, and Haeran Ryu in third.
Lottie Woad’s Strong Performance
Woad began her round by birdieing the par-four third hole. She followed this with consecutive birdies starting from the seventh hole. Although she experienced a bogey at the ninth, she swiftly rebounded by scoring two more birdies in the back nine. Her performance included additional birdies on the 14th and 16th holes, reaching a peak of 12 under, before closing with a bogey that cut her lead to three strokes.
Key Competitors
- Amanda Doherty – Second place, four strokes behind Woad
- Haeran Ryu – Third place
- Lydia Ko – Four-time major champion, mixed performance with four birdies and three bogeys
- Charley Hull – Defending champion, fell to three over par after a challenging round
- Nelly Korda – World No. 1, slipped to tied-19th place after a 72
Charley Hull, who started strong, struggled throughout her rounds. She dropped to three over par during her third round, bagging only one birdie while suffering three consecutive bogeys for a score of 73. In contrast, Woad entered the event with determination, stating that her previous performance at the Mizuho Americas Open was an anomaly.
Looking Ahead
As Woad prepares for the final round, her mindset remains focused. She noted improvements in her game after adjusting her putter grip and emphasized the importance of hitting fairways and greens. This strategy will be crucial as she seeks to maintain her lead against a strong field at the Kroger Queen City Championship.
This championship is not only significant for Woad’s standings but also as she looks forward to representing Team Europe in the upcoming Solheim Cup.
