World No.29 Charley Hull is making her maiden visit to Sweden this week to play in the Helsingborg Open.
Have you been to Sweden before?
No, it’s my first time. It’s a pretty country and it looks pretty similar to England so it’s nice to be here. It’s a great golf course and the rough is not very thick but if you’re way off line it is. It’s a linksy style. The greens are really good and I like the look of the golf course.
When you were 13 you quit school. Swedish girl, would you recommend the same thing for her?
I really liked school but time off would have been too much, because I wouldn’t have had it because I wouldn’t have been allowed. Home schooling gave me time off and I still kept in contact with my friends. It’s whatever she wants to do. Different people need different things. When I was at school I wasn’t that bothered about school so when I was at home it made me concentrate a bit more.
Do you think you would be here right now if you’d continued with school?
I’m not sure. Enjoy it, because you’re only young once and time flies when you get older, even when you’re 18.
What is your favourite hole?
I don’t have a favourite hole to be honest. I like the front nine and the back nine is a good nine to finish with. I like the 18th hole and I think it’s a good seven holes to end with.
What have you been doing since the British Open?
I played in Germany and lost in the play-off and then I had four weeks off and then I went to America. I was ill last week in America and I didn’t feel very well and I missed the cut by one. I had a bad throat and stomach but I’m feeling better now so I’m taking it easy this week.
I flew back to England Sunday night and got her on Tuesday so I had a day at home where I could see my friends and relax.
How is your game?
I feel pretty comfortable with it now. I’ve been driving the ball well in the middle part of the season and sometimes when I’m putting well I’m not hitting it as well and when I’m hitting it well I’m not putting as well so if I get them both together it’s quite scary. In Morocco I putted rubbish for the first three rounds and in the last round my putting came together and I left a few putts out there when I shot nine under. I played well at Birkdale and at the Kraft so when I get my game together, I think I’ll definitely hopefully win.
Do you think this week you will have it all together?
I don’t know. I’m still working on my driving and I’m going to do some putting this afternoon to feel comfortable and confident for tomorrow. I think this is a great tournament to come over and warm up for the Evian. I think if they have this tournament in the same place in future they will get a lot more LPGA players to play in it.
Golf Digest said that your philosophy is: hit it and find it again.
I just hit it, find it and hit it again. I’m not going to die if I hit a bad shot. If I hit a bad shot I’ll pinch my dad or pinch my caddie and say, ‘does it hurt? You’re still alive then. You’re not going to die if you hit a bad shot.’ That’s what I like and if there’s a shot that I’m in between going for, I think, ‘you only live once,’ and I just go for it. I read a thing the other day about Jack Nicklaus that says: ‘Don’t make golf more important than it really is,’ and that’s pretty much what I’ve always thought. At the end of the day it’s a sport and you’ve got to enjoy it, even though I’m very competitive and I want to win and I want to beat everyone.
Who are the best players who can win this tournament?
Laura is playing good at the moment, Gwladys, Kylie and I think Amy Boulden is playing really well this season. I’m really happy for her because she’s one of my best friends and she’s had a really good few weeks around the Open time. If she has a good week this week, I think it’s a golf course that would suit her so it will be fun if we were together in the last group in the last round. Caroline Hedwall is a really good player so she’s also got a great chance and I think this golf course will suit her as well.
