Upon first assumption, you would think that Englishwoman Charley Hull would have all the tips and tricks for success on links-golf layouts. She was the Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year and is a multi-time winner on that circuit. But Friday at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, she made a fascinating admission.
“I do like links golf. I love links golf,” said Hull. “But usually my game, I find it hard to play, especially in a tournament, because I feel like my game is built for America.”
With that in mind, Hull has put in some extra work with her coach over the last few weeks to prepare for the Women’s Scottish Open at Dundonald Links and next week’s AIG Women’s Open at the Old Course at St Andrews. She said they have been working on doing more three-quarter swings to promote a lower ball flight, and after a challenging game on Monday at Turnberry, Hull feels like it’s all starting to pay off.
The 28-year-old shot a 4-under 68 on Friday at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open and was just two shots back of the early lead held by Minjee Lee. She was tied for second through the early part of the afternoon alongside breakout Rolex First-Time Winner Lauren Coughlin.
Hull had a colorful scorecard in the second round at Dundonald Links with six birdies, an eagle and four bogeys. KPMG Performance Insights has Hull at fourth in strokes gained off the tee this season, but even though she hit only seven of 14 fairways on Friday, she was impressive with her irons – missing only two greens on the day.
“I played pretty solid today. It was super windy out there this morning, and I was pretty cold, but I felt like it was a pretty good score. Made a few birdies and an eagle on 18, as well. I'm pretty happy with my game,” Hull said. “You just have to accept all the shots. It's hard to judge all the wind all the time, and hitting the shots, you're going to get cold, do certain things, and you've just got to grind it out there. I felt like I was playing well, but it definitely was a ball-striking kind of day.”
Hull missed the cut at The Amundi Evian Championship and then struggled to an opening-round 81 at the Paris Olympics as she was recovering from a shoulder injury after falling in the bathroom earlier in the summer, an accident that forced her to withdraw from a recent Ladies European Tour event. She made an impressive turnaround at Le Golf National, however, firing rounds of 71-69-68 over the rest of the week to finish in a tie for 27th.
“I was 8-under for my last three rounds (at Le Golf National), and I played really, really solid,” Hull reflected on her Olympic experience. “Just that first round under your belt, giving it away. That's golf, isn't it? But I played as good as I have played all year the last three rounds.”
Her upper-body injuries are nagging but not as impactful as they have been in the past, she said in her pre-tournament press conference. Hull admitted her back was sore, and she received physiotherapy treatment on her shoulder on Wednesday but said the pain “comes and goes.”
Hull is now in prime position to notch her best individual finish on the LPGA Tour since her tie for 10th at the FIR HILLS SERI PAK Championship and her best result overall after tying for fifth alongside countrywoman Georgia Hall at the Dow Championship in June.
Although she started the year with two top 10s in her first three tournaments, it’s now crunch time for Hull to lock up her spot on the Solheim Cup team. And a couple of solid results on a couple of great links golf courses should absolutely help that cause.
“I think I’m actually getting more used to it,” Hull said of the linksy challenge this week at the Women’s Scottish Open. “And I think I’m just embracing it more.”
)
)
)
)
