England’s Charley Hull out in front after first round of Women’s British Open

ST. ANDREWS – Perhaps the time has come for England’s Charley Hull in her bid to win a first Major golf title.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a superb finish in tough conditions on Aug 22, with four birdies on the back nine on the Old Course at St Andrews to lead the Women’s British Open with a five-under opening round of 67.

Although it was just the first day, Hull showed she has what it takes to be a winner being in a star-studded group that also featured defending champion Lilia Vu and world No. 1 Nelly Korda.

“I would take that 100 per cent,” said the Briton, who finished runner-up in both the Women’s British Open and Women’s US Open last season.

“It was gusting a lot on the range, and I said to my coach: ‘Feels like they could call it at any minute because I don’t know how the balls are staying on the greens’. So to go out there, shoot five under, play pretty solid, it was a lot of fun.

“I’m happy with that score, and I’m just looking forward to going out tomorrow and being patient again.”

Hull, Korda and Vu clearly brought the best in each other’s games, with Korda – who won the season’s first Major at the Chevron Championship – in a tie with China’s Yin Ruoning for second on four under and Vu one of six players a stroke further back.

Yin had previously overcome the difficult conditions to claim the early lead.

Starting on the 10th hole, the former world No. 1 defied strong gusts to reach six under after 14 holes. Although she dropped a couple of shots late in her round, a 68 was a hugely creditable score.

She also held the outright lead for most of the first round before being surpassed by Hull.

“I was watching it on the TV when I saw the scores, and I thought, how is (Yin) four under par?” added Hull, who was obviously thrilled with edging out the 21-year-old Chinese in the end. “That was an unbelievable score.”

Yin, the 2023 Women’s PGA Championship winner, admitted she struggled with the wind.

“I just tried to play with it. I know it’s tough conditions, you just have to have a better attitude,” she said.

Bidding to become the first home winner of the tournament since England’s Georgia Hall in 2018, Hull reached the turn in one under. But it was a very different story on the way back in, as she landed three birdies in six holes to share the lead with Yin before a closing birdie on the 18th gave her sole possession of first place.

Despite the evening gloom when she finished her round, Hull was wearing sunglasses in the closing stages when not playing a shot, admitting she did so to shield her eyes from the wind.

“I know it sounds silly, but my nose and my eyes just water all the time. So whenever I put my glasses on, it stops them watering,” she explained.

“Even though it’s not sunny, but that’s the reason why. I was thinking that people must think I’m like a right idiot, but it’s because they were stopping the wind.”

Singapore’s Shannon Tan was joint-63rd after a three-over 75. The world No. 167 started and ended with birdies but chalked up five bogeys.

Korda, wearing a scarf and stocking cap most of the round, left short a birdie try on the 15th but reached the green in two at the last to finish birdie-birdie.

Andrea Lee, Patty Tavatanakit, Lee Mi-hyang, Mao Saigo and Jenny Shin were alongside Vu on three under.

Hall, meanwhile, dramatically eagled her final hole, the ninth, to end tied-12th on one under.

Olympic gold medallist Lydia Ko of New Zealand also finished on one under, and said that walking off the course “all you can do is really laugh, because it’s so windy”.

“It’s even hard to putt. It was difficult. I knew it was going to be a challenge,” she said. AFP, REUTERS