Lottie Woad shot a six-under 66 on Friday morning to keep her LPGA Tour hopes alive at the Kroger Queen City Championship. Her round included seven birdies and just one bogey, lifting her to six under for the tournament. Woad, who opened with a 70, moved into a tie for second place overnight at Maketewah Country Club, just two strokes behind Jin Young Ko, the former world No. 1 and defending champion. Ko set the pace with a seven-under total after rounds of 67 and 66, while American Amanda Doherty matched Woad at six under. Woad’s surge came despite a steady breeze dropping compared to Thursday, which she described as making conditions “a lot more scorable.” She credited improved driving and iron play for her round, hitting more fairways and sticking approaches close to the pins.

Hull’s charge ends in collapse

Charley Hull’s bid for a second straight win ended in dramatic fashion. After an eagle at the par-five seventh and birdies at the eighth and 10th, Hull looked poised to challenge Ko. But a three-bogey burst from the 13th through 15th, followed by blemishes at the 17th and 18th, saw her card a two-over 72. Hull’s six bogeys in her final eight holes cost her eight strokes and dropped her from the lead to eight over, well out of contention. The 2023 winner, who started the day three under, fell to 13th place overall. Her collapse shifted focus to Woad and Doherty as the championship’s new contenders.

Ko, meanwhile, continues to lead after two rounds. The South Korean star has been consistent, shooting 67s on Thursday and Friday to hold a one-shot advantage over Doherty and Woad. Lydia Ko sits two back at five under, while Nelly Korda—the world No. 1—and Atthaya Thitikul, ranked No. 2, are each three strokes behind after carding 67s in round two. Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist posted a two-under 68 to move to two under for the tournament, keeping her in weekend contention.

England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff made a rare hole-in-one on the par-three 12th, her seventh career ace, to safely advance to the weekend. The ace helped her finish the round even-par 72, while Nordqvist’s steady play ensured both English players made the cut. On the LPGA’s international stage, the focus remains on Ko’s defense and Woad’s unexpected rise, which has reshaped the leaderboard heading into Saturday’s third round.

Woad and Doherty rise as Ko holds firm

Woad’s ascent marks a breakthrough moment in the English golfer’s LPGA Tour career. After opening with 70, her six-under 66 was the low round of the day and vaulted her into a share of second place. Doherty, an American rising star, matched Woad’s score with a round that included five birdies against three bogeys. The pair now trail Ko by two strokes, setting up a potential duel for the title in the final two rounds. “I hit more fairways and just hit really good approaches,” Woad said after the round, highlighting the technical improvements that fueled her surge.

On the Ladies European Tour, Esther Henseleit took a one-shot lead into the weekend at the Amundi German Masters. Playing on a tougher North Course at Green Eagle Golf Courses in Germany, Henseleit carded a two-under 71 with five birdies and three bogeys. The German’s round kept her one clear of the field, positioning her for a potential first LET victory. The contrast in conditions—windier and firmer in Germany—underscored the difficulty of maintaining consistency across tours. With both LPGA and LET events in full swing, the weekend promises high-stakes golf and potential breakthrough moments for players like Woad and Henseleit.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: Sky Sports
  • Published: May 15, 2026 at 23:45 UTC
  • Category: Sports
  • Topics: #sky-sports · #football · #premier-league · #sports · #golf · #woad

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 15, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

Lottie Woad roubou a cena no golfe feminino ao assumir a liderança no Kroger Queen City Championship com um impressionante rodada de seis abaixo do par (66), enquanto a britânica Charley Hull viu suas chances de título evaporarem com oito tacadas negativas em oito buracos. A jovem inglesa, de apenas 23 anos, mostrou maturidade impressionante ao superar o nervosismo e se firmar como uma das principais revelações da temporada na LPGA, enquanto sua compatriota, uma das mais experientes do circuito, amargou uma das piores performances de sua carreira.

O feito de Woad chega em um momento crucial para o golfe mundial, especialmente para o Brasil, onde o esporte ainda busca se consolidar entre os fãs. Com a crescente popularidade da LPGA no país — impulsionada por transmissões na ESPN e redes sociais — a performance da britânica pode inspirar novas gerações de golfistas brasileiras, que têm na jogadora Letícia Nakai uma das principais referências nacionais. Além disso, a vitória de Woad, caso se confirme, poderia reacender discussões sobre a falta de representatividade europeia no topo do ranking feminino, dominado há anos por americanas.

Se confirmada a vitória de Woad no domingo, ela não só faturaria seu primeiro título na LPGA como também se tornaria a segunda europeia a vencer um torneio major desde 2019, o que poderia redefinir as expectativas para a temporada.