Ashleigh Buhai of South Africa leads the LPGA Queen City Championship after carding a seven-under-par 65, showcasing resilience amid an injury-disrupted year that included back issues and a broken toe. Buhai, the 2022 Women's British Open champion, displayed strategic play on the Arnold Palmer-designed TPC River's Bend course, achieving eight birdies and finishing one stroke ahead of Jeeno Thitikul and Liu Yan, who both shot 66. A total of eight players, including world number one Nelly Korda and Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko, are tied for fourth place at 67. Buhai credited her strong performance to smart decision-making on the course and effective putting. She noted the course's challenging pins but successfully navigated them with solid up-and-downs. Thitikul, a former world number one, aims for her first individual LPGA win in two years after a team victory earlier this season.