Charley Hull decided to end her three-year win drought in style. At the Kroger Queen City Championship, not only did she secure her first victory since 2022, but Hull also returned to her top form. Fans got hints of this comeback at the AIG Women’s Open, where she finished runner-up. Now, bridging the gap with her long-awaited third LPGA Tour title, Hull has reached a career-high milestone.
As announced by the LPGA on X, Charley Hull has surged through the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings at 5. This is a significant milestone for Hull, being a career-high ranking. Moreover, Hull also becomes the first English woman to reach the top-5 in the Rolex rankings since its launch in 2006. Coming with a lucrative bounty of $300,000, the title added to her bank account as much as it did to her resume. And Hull achieved all this while no one expected such a strong performance, quietly reclaiming her spot at TPC River’s Bend.
Hull had delivered a consistent performance through all the rounds at the Kroger Queen City Championship. With rounds of 68, 65, 67, and a final round of 68, Hull sealed the victory with a 20-under for the event. However, the drama didn’t fade away until the last moment. Entering into the final round with a one-stroke lead against World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul, Hull quickly established her pace. The English golfer carded three consecutive birdies from holes 6-8, extending her lead. Thitikul responded with back-to-back birdies on holes 10 & 11, closing the gap. However, Hull stumbled at the 13th, providing Thitikul to pull ahead with a birdie on the 14th. She stumbled yet again on the 17th, putting Thitikul at solo lead. However, the tension truly built up on the final hole.
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Holding the lead, Thitikul was geared for the win. But she didn’t only miss a birdie putt for her win; rather, things went downhill from there. Thitikul four-putted from 50 feet, missing a 5-footer and a 3-feet comebacker. That turned a likely win into a heart-wrenching bogey. Meanwhile, Hull took the opportunity, two-putting from 30 feet to sink a birdie. That was a tremendous experience for Hull, who admitted her hands shook as she turned to her final shot.
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“When I realized I had it for the win, I had this mad shock of adrenaline come through me and my hands was like shaking,” said Hull. “I was like, ‘Oh, no.’ Usually, I can calm it down in like five minutes, but I had to play straight away. I had to back off it twice.” Throwing in an equal parts amused and admiring remark, Hull chimed, “I don’t know how, like Tiger Woods won that many tournaments, that much pressure.”
This moment marks more than a title for Hull. Despite fighting constant health battles and injuries, Hull proved that she was built for golf. Through multiple injuries that kept her out of the greens, Hull not only came back, but also came out on top.
Charley Hull’s journey from adversity to triumph
There’s no doubt that Charley Hull is one of the most consistent golfers on the women’s circuit. However, that doesn’t help with the numerous setbacks she faced this year. Earlier this year, Hull hurt her back while picking up a box. Never fully recovering from the pain, Hull suffered a fainting episode at the Evian Championship in July. Collapsing twice during the first round, Hull had to withdraw from the event. Things only went downhill from there.
After a promising run at the AIG Women’s Open (T2), Hull found a ligament tear in her ankle after tripping over a curb in the parking lot. Since then, the Kroger Queen City Championship is the first LPGA event Hull has teed it up at. As perseverance would have it, despite being away from the greens for so long, Hull finished in style.
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However, the English golfer returned earlier at the Ladies ‘ European Tour, underscoring her resilience. Teeing it up at the Aramco Team Series – Houston event, Hull finished runner-up. The most shocking part? She made that return in less than a month. “Got told it could be up to nine weeks I could be out,” Hull added. “I was like, ‘Wow, I turned it round in three weeks’; played last week [at the Ladies European Tour’s Aramco Houston Championship, finishing second].”
Even though Hull is still battling with the pain, she didn’t stop her grinding. Taking a brief 2-week hiatus for her recovery, Hull returned to practice her swinging. This brings forward Hull’s love and passion for the sport. Despite an injury and a win drought that could have sent anyone spiralling, Hull didn’t back down. Turns out she wasn’t lying when she said, “Every dog has its day.”