South Africa’s Buhai grabs LPGA Queen City lead

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.

“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.