South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai during the Kroger Queen City Championship at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
- South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai leads the LPGA Queen City Championship with a seven-under par 65, despite an injury-disrupted year, including back injuries and a broken toe.
- Buhai, a major title winner at the 2022 Women’s British Open, strategically attacked the TPC River’s Bend course, carding eight birdies and finishing with a one-stroke lead over Jeeno Thitikul and Liu Yan.
- Liu Yan, who has missed the cut in her last seven starts, had a strong performance with two eagles and a 66, while eight players, including world number one Nelly Korda and Paris Olympics champion Lydia Ko, shared fourth place.
- For more golf news, visit our dedicated page.
Ashleigh Buhai carded eight birdies in a seven-under par 65 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the LPGA Queen City Championship as she vies to finish strong in an injury-disrupted year.
“There has been a few things happened to me this year – back injuries, broken toe,” said the South African, who played the Paris Olympics with a piece of one shoe cut away because of her toe injury.
But Buhai, whose two LPGA victories include a major title at the 2022 Women’s British Open, said her form had been solid, and after two weeks off she was ready to attack the Arnold Palmer-designed TPC River’s Bend course, which is hosting the tournament for the first time.
“I think I was smart with when I could attack,” said Buhai, who had four birdies on the front nine and four on the back.
With her two-putt birdie at 18 she had a one-stroke lead over Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul and China’s Liu Yan.
Eight players shared fourth on 67, a group that included world number one Nelly Korda and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the Paris Olympics champion.
Leading first-round scores on Thursday in the LPGA Queen City Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA unless noted, par-72):
65 – Ashleigh Buhai (RSA)
66 – Jeeno Thitikul (THA), Liu Yan (CHN)
67 – Savannah Grewal (CAN), Jasmine Suwannapura (THA), Lydia Ko (NZL), Angel Yin, Chien Peiyun (TPE), Leona Maguire (IRL), Nelly Korda, Polly Mack (GER)
68 – Maria Fassi (MEX), Yealimi Noh, Im Jin-hee (KOR), Gaby Lopez (MEX), Liu Ruixin (CHN), Yin Xiaowen (CHN), Pernilla Lindberg (SWE), Nanna Koerstz Madsen (DEN), Kim Sei-young (KOR), Celine Borge (NOR), Kaitlin Milligan, Dewi Weber (NED), Lindy Duncan, Bianca Pagdanganan (PHI)
“There were a few pins out there where you had to still try to be aggressive, and the greens got a little firm and ran through, but I then made some good up and downs to keep me in it,” Buhai said.
“I hit it great, putted well – that tends to add up to what it did.”
Liu, who has missed the cut in her last seven starts and is searching for a first top-10 of the year, started on the 10th and had two eagles – at the 18th and at the eighth – in her 66.
“Today my driver was very good,” said Liu, who played her last two holes in three-under.
