England’s Charley Hull put in a faultless performance with an opening round of five-under-par 67 to sit one shot off the lead early in the first round of the AIG Women’s British Open.
The 23-year-old from Kettering, Northants, showed little sign of nerves as she teed off at her home club, Woburn, although she said that she felt nervous, as her hands were shaking, but she settled into it quickly and ended the morning just behind Japan’s Hinako Shibuno and American Solheim Cup player Danielle Kang.
Three-time Solheim Cup player Hull birdied the Marquess’ long second and went to the turn in 35 and then made a run of three birdies in a row from the 10th to 12th holes. She knocked a great bunker shot close to the pin on the par-3 14th hole. Two behind coming down the last, she fired in a 5-iron from 170 yards to 25 feet beyond the flag and rolled in a long putt for a back nine of 32 for a grandstand finish in front of her home fans.
“The 18th was my best birdie and the 12th was a good one too, because it nearly zipped back into the water,” said Hull, adding that she was just focusing on her dad Dave’s face in the crowd, and looking out for her fiancé, Ozzie Smith, with whom she would go shopping to chill out after lunch. The pair are due to marry in a small church near their home on 21st September, after The Solheim Cup, with a marquee being erected in her garden.
She has been working on sharpening up her short game in recent weeks.
“My long game is good, but I’ve been working hard with my coach, Matt Belsham, and practising, practising, practising,” she said.
“Sometimes it’s harder when it’s your home golf course because you know where not to hit it as well as where to hit it. Like today, for instance, the 13th hole, it’s the first time I’ve hit that fairway for about three years, so I was quite happy about it. I’m just trying to think in my head, ‘just go out there and have fun’. That’s the main goal this week.”
