LPGA Tour: Charley Hull makes fast start to Kroger Queen City Championship title defence with Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko in contention

Charley Hull overcame concerns about her game to get within two strokes of the early lead at the LPGA Tour’s Kroger Queen City Championship in Ohio.

The three-time LPGA Tour winner, returning as defending champion after last year's one-shot victory, sits in a share of seventh after carding an opening-round 68 in cold and windy conditions at Maketewah Country Club.

Hull, who missed the cut at last week's Mizuho Americas Open, birdied the par-four 15th and cancelled out a bogey at the second with a birdie-eagle run from the sixth to get briefly get within one of the leaders.

• Kroger Queen City Championship: Latest scores
• Got Sky? Watch golf and more LIVE on your phone
• Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream no contract

The Englishwoman then failed to get up and down from the sand to save par at the par-three ninth, her final hole of the day, as Chella Choi, Ina Yoon and Rio Takeda set the pace with opening-round 66s.

"I hit some good shots," Hull told reporters. "I'm not really hitting it very well at the minute, so I completely whiffed my five-iron on the last hole in the bunker short.

"I don't think the greens staff raked the bunker properly. There were a couple of bunkers like that out there. It was just a bit of a fluffy lie in like a footprinty thing. I finished with a bogey, but I was pretty happy how I played considering how I'm hitting it."

Takeda mixed five birdies with a lone bogey during her four-under 66, while Choi held the solo lead until back-to-back bogeys dropped her back to four under, with Yoon completing the trio sharing top spot.

Former majors champions Jin Young Ko and Lilia Vu sit a shot back in tied-fourth with Amanda Doherty, while Lydia Ko matched Hull's 68 after also bogeying her final hole of the day.

"The front and back nine feel like two completely different golf courses, so it's really hard to compare," Ko explained. "I only hit like five out of 14 fairways, but it hit it good. It's one of those golf courses where if you're marginally off you can end up just in the left or right rough or through.

"All in all, I thought I played really solid. Holed a couple putts on the back nine. Other than that, I really don't think there was much of a difference. I just tried to stay patient."

The world's top two players - Nelly Korda and Jeeno Thitikul - are both three off the early lead, as England's Lottie Woad and Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist started with level-par 70s.

On the Ladies European Tour, Leonie Harm fired a bogey-free 65 to hold a one-shot lead over compatriot Esther Henseleit after the opening round of the Amundi German Masters.

Harm posted eight birdies to set the pace at Green Eagle Golf Courses, with Denmark's Sofie Kibsgaard three strokes back in third and England's Meghan MacLaren four off the early lead after a four-under 69.

"I've had a splendid ball striking day," Harm said. "I don't remember hitting it that close to your flag, potentially ever. It's been a long time, and my putter was really hot."

Who will the Kroger Queen City Championship? Watch the LPGA Tour action this week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 8pm on Sky Sports Mix. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: LPGA Tour: Charley Hull makes fast start to Kroger Queen City Championship title defence with Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko in contention