| -11 C Hull (Eng); -9 A Thitikul (Tha), X Lin (Chn); -8 L Duncan (USA); -seven J Korda (USA), E Pedersen (Den), M Jutanugarn (Tha); -6 L KB (NZ) |
| Others selected: -3 G Hall (Eng); -1 J Ewart Shadoff (Eng); E B Henderson (CAN), S Meadow (NI); +3 G Dryburgh (Sco) |
| Full ranking |
Charley Hull birdied eight to take a two-shot lead in the third round of The Ascendant LPGA in Texas.
After a first-round 67, England’s Hull posted a seven-under 64 to edge Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul and China’s Lin Xiyu, who are tied for second at nine under.
Hull caught five shots on his back nine, a bogey on the 15th hole hardly derailed him.
“I just felt like the putter was really strong today,” the 26-year-old said.
“When I was at home I used to work pretty hard on my putt because I felt like that was the ‘most boring’ part of the game to practice. I don’t practice as much as I should, so I’ve been doing about two hours every day and just trying to fix it.”
After two rounds at Old American Golf Club, the top seven players are separated by just four strokes with American Jessica Korda among three players on seven under.
Hull’s compatriot Georgia Hall is tied for 18th with three under, while fellow England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff is two shots ahead and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow is tied.
Thitikul can become world number one if she wins in Texas, with what would be her second victory in as many weeks on the LPGA Tour following her success in Arkansas.
