LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Charley Hull defends her Ascendant Ladies Professional Golf Association title this week, hoping a return to Texas sees her breakthrough for a first victory of 2023 after five runner-up finishes worldwide.

England's Hull said her victory at The Colony near Dallas last year was the springboard to a solid 2023 season that is so far missing just one thing — a victory.

"Felt like it gave me good momentum," she said. "I played some really good golf. I think I've had five second-place finishes this year, one on the LET and the rest on the LPGA Tour."

"Obviously two in the majors," added Hull, who was runner-up at the British and US Opens. "It's been a great year."

It has also included a Solheim Cup triumph, although Hull said she didn't play as big a role as she might have liked in Europe's come from behind victory over the United States in Spain because of a neck sprain.

"I found it quite a hard week because I just didn't feel like I could play the way I wanted to because of my neck," she said.

"If that was a normal event I wouldn't have played because I would've had to pull out. Had to almost change my swing to swing that week, so then I didn't hit it very well."

Hull said sitting out matches was hard for her, as was foregoing practice. But she hopes the rest, including a week off last week, will have her in top condition to build on her latest LPGA runner-up finish in Cincinnati last month, when she lost to Australian Minjee Lee in a playoff.