By As the AIG Women’s Open approaches, England’s Charley Hull is setting her sights on achieving her first major victory at the iconic Old Course at St Andrews. Hull, who finished as the runner-up to Lilia Vu in the 2023 AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath, is determined to go one better this year.
Hull, ranked world No. 10, has had a strong season, including two runner-up finishes on the Ladies European Tour and top-25 placements in the first three majors of the year. Despite a shoulder injury that led to a mid-round withdrawal at the Aramco Team Series event in London and a missed cut at the Evian Championship, Hull remains optimistic about her chances.
The English golfer will tee off alongside Lilia Vu and world No. 1 Nelly Korda for the first two rounds. Hull described the experience of walking down the historic 17th and 18th holes at St Andrews as “goosebump-inducing” and emphasized how special it would be to secure a win at the “Home of Golf.”
Hull’s return to competitive play saw her struggle with nerves in the opening round of the Olympics, where she shot an 81, but she quickly found her form, finishing tied-27th after a strong final three days. She attributes her shaky start more to nerves than to her previous shoulder injury, which she has been managing with acupuncture and other treatments.
With a recent fifth-place finish at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open, Hull feels positive heading into the final major of the year. Despite acknowledging her lack of a strong track record in links golf, she remains focused on improving her game and adapting to the challenges of the St Andrews course.
Hull has been working on shortening her golf swing to better navigate the low ball flights required for links golf. She noted that St Andrews presents a unique challenge due to its open fairways, making it difficult to pick specific targets in the distance. Nevertheless, Hull is confident and ready to compete for her first major title at this prestigious event.
