Hull still seeking first professional victory

Charley Hull is hoping to go one place better when she tees up in the Allianz Ladies Slovak Open tomorrow after five runner-ups  in as many starts on the Ladies European Tour so far this year.

The 17-year-old rookie professional from Kettering in Northamptonshire leads the LET’s ISPS Handa Order of Merit after finishing second in Morocco, South Africa, Turkey, Holland and Germany respectively.

So far, all three of the previous winners of the tournament have enjoyed a maiden victory and Hull will be looking to follow in the footsteps of Maria Hernandez, Caroline Hedwall and Line Vedel, who have all won at Golf Resort Talé near Brezno over the past three years.

On her phenomenal start to life as a professional golfer, Hull said: “I’ll just keep on going how I’m going. It just feels like any other week. If you have a bad week you’ve always got another week so I’m approaching it the same as I always do.”

Hull is eighth on the European Solheim Cup standings, from which the top four will qualify when the teams are named on Sunday, 4th August at St Andrews.

A top ten finish in Slovakia would see her climb that list further, however she feels no pressure to perform on her first trip to Slovakia this week.

On the Gray Bear course, she said: “The greens are very interesting. I think picking and choosing where you’ve got to hit it on the green to have the best putt will be important.”

After unseasonably hot weather in the days leading up to the tournament, the course was playing harder and firmer than in previous years. However the warm and clammy atmosphere led to a thunderstorm and torrential downpour by mid-afternoon Wednesday, suggesting that course conditions may change for the four tournament days.