Lottie Woad won the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G on Sunday, closing with a 1-under 69 at Maketewah Country Club in Cincinnati to finish at 12 under and claim the second LPGA Tour title of her career.
It was a remarkable Sunday for English golf. While Aaron Rai was claiming the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club — becoming the first English-born player to win the Wanamaker Trophy since 1919 — Woad was doing the same on the LPGA Tour in Cincinnati, holding off a strong field to win the Kroger Queen City Championship. Two English winners, two major results, on the same day.
A second win — and the sweeter one
The 22-year-old Englishwoman came into the final round with a three-shot cushion and did enough to hold it, despite a double bogey at the sixth and a testing finish. She birdied the seventh, traded pars through the middle of the round, dropped a shot at the 13th and then delivered the decisive blow — a 20-foot birdie putt at the par-4 17th — to move two clear with one to play.
“This one is definitely a lot sweeter,” Woad said. “The first one just happened so quickly that it was kind of hard to take in. I think now being out here full time and this being my job, just seeing the competition each week and travelling and all that — this is just definitely a lot sweeter.”
It was her 19th LPGA Tour start, making her the fastest player to two wins since Sung Hyun Park managed the same in 16 starts back in 2017. Ranked 10th in the world, she also set the tournament’s 54-hole scoring record during the week, matching the career-low 199 total she posted at her debut win in the 2025 Women’s Scottish Open.
Ryu surges but falls short
The main challenge came from South Korea’s Haeran Ryu, who played her front nine in five-under 30 and made 22 birdies across the week — the most of any player in the field. A double bogey at the par-4 13th proved costly, and Ryu ultimately signed for a 67 to finish two back at 10 under, her best result since the 2024 Dana Open.
“Amazing front nine,” Ryu said. “But I have a little mistake on the back nine.”
Yamashita catches the eye in final round
Japan’s Miyu Yamashita produced the round of the day, a career-best 64 that lifted her to third at nine under. The performance was a further sign of her growing consistency; she now has five top-10 finishes in 2026. Ruoning Yin closed with a 66 for fourth place at eight under, her third consecutive top-five finish of the season.
Further down the leaderboard, Nelly Korda — who had won her previous two starts — finished tied for eighth at five under after a 67, while Jeeno Thitikul, the winner last week in New Jersey, ended a shot further back after a 69.
Woad closes it out in the wind
The wind was the defining factor on Sunday, shifting between crosswind and into the players on most holes and making yardage judgements into the smaller greens difficult. Woad’s clean ball-striking through the tee-to-green game held firm despite the conditions.
“It was definitely up there with the strongest of the days,” she said. “Trying to judge the yardages into some smaller greens was definitely tricky.”
The birdie on 17 — from above the hole, with significant break — settled it. Woad parred the par-3 18th to win by two.
“Not an easy putt from where I was,” she said. “Had a little pace going in, so pretty glad I hit the hole. Gave me a two-shot cushion on a par 3.”
With the US Women’s Open at Riviera approaching and a Solheim Cup year in full swing, Woad arrives at the next phase of the season with two wins, four top 10s and every reason to believe she can compete for the biggest prizes on offer.
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