Charley Hull didn’t even look at Atthaya Thitikul’s decisive birdie putt on the final hole of the Kroger City Queen Championship. Like everyone else, she assumed Thitikul would easily make it and walk away with the trophy.

After all, Thitikul is the LPGA’s best putter and currently the world No. 1. But in a shocking twist, she collapsed with a four-putt on the 72nd hole — including three misses from just three feet. Hull, who had been leading most of the round in the same group, stood frozen in disbelief at what had just happened. Regaining her composure, she calmly holed a two-foot putt to clinch her first victory in 1,077 days.

It was one of the rarest meltdowns of Thitikul’s career, producing a dramatic and unforgettable finish at TPC River’s Bend.

“Jeeno played really well today, very solid,” Hull said afterward. “It was just unfortunate that it happened on the last hole. I’ve felt like I’ve been a bit unlucky over the last few years, and today luck finally came my way.”

Before the collapse, Thitikul had already secured a win earlier this season and seemed poised to become the first golfer of the year to claim multiple titles. She and Hull had been locked in a gripping duel until everything unraveled on the 18th green. Thitikul declined interviews after the round.

Hull closed with a final-round 68, finishing at 20-under (68-65-67-68) for the week. She took home $300,000 and a much-needed boost of confidence. It was her third career LPGA victory and third top-10 finish of the season. Her last win came at the Ascendant LPGA on October 2, 2022.

In the final round, Hull trailed after 54 holes but saw Thitikul overtake her with a one-shot lead at the 14th. Hull leveled with a long birdie putt on 16, only to bogey 17 after finding the bunker, handing the edge back to Thitikul. On the 18th, all the world No. 1 needed was a short putt to win — or two putts to force a playoff — but she missed them all. Broadcast footage showed Thitikul admitting she felt nerves standing over the short attempts.

Hull recalled: “I thought I needed an eagle on 18. My driver went a bit off, then I hit a 9-iron around the tree but it didn’t spin enough. I thought I had to hole the putt, but then I only needed two putts. Honestly, I don’t remember much about the last hole — I was just shocked, and my hands were shaking with nerves.”

Lottie Woad, former world No. 1 amateur and Scottish Open champion, finished third, two shots behind Hull. Former world No. 1 Nelly Korda remained winless this year, tying for fifth.

Hull’s comeback story is even more remarkable given her injury struggles this season: a torn ankle ligament from a parking lot fall, a back injury from lifting, and even fainting due to a virus at the Amundi Evian Championship. She is still dealing with a cyst in her back.

“The last few months have been really tough,” Hull admitted. “Fainting at Evian, the back pain, the torn ankle ligament… it sounds like a string of accidents. But I think sometimes pain makes you stronger. I was practicing too much, overthinking too much, and the injuries forced me to rest — maybe that’s exactly what I needed.”

When asked if she plays better with injuries, Hull laughed: “It slows my mind down. Normally my head runs at 100 miles an hour, but when I’m sick or injured, I relax more, expect less, and do less. And then I actually play better.”