Hull's 'boringest' putting work pays off

TEXAS - Charley Hull fired a seven-under 64 on Friday to take a two-stroke lead at LPGA Tour's Volunteers of America Classic in The Colony, Texas.

The Englishwoman rang up eight birdies and made just one bogey to post the low round of the day at Old American Golf Club. It took her to 11-under 131, two ahead of Thailand's Atthaya Thitikul (67 on Friday) and China's Lin Xiyu (68).

Hull, 26, credited a hot putter, saying it had been the missing piece to her game.

She said: "When I was home, I was working quite hard on my putting because I felt like that's the 'boringest' part of the game to practise. I don't practise it as much as I should, so I've been doing like two hours each day and just trying to fix it."

Hull credits her recent resurgence with her decision to take a two-week break from the tour after back-to-back missed cuts at the CP Women's Open and Dana Open.

She used that time to recharge and play golf with her friends.

"I played about four or five rounds of 36 holes when I was home," Hull said. "I'm just one of those people. I actually prefer playing golf at home with my mates than I do on tour.

"I feel like when I'm on the golf course now, I pretend I'm at home with my friends and be more relaxed. That's what I'm doing and it seems to be working."

Atthaya offset a double bogey at the par-four ninth hole by eagling the par-five 17th. The 19-year-old won last week's NW Arkansas Championship and is in position to contend for her third victory of the season.

She said: "Golf is challenging, because... you change the course every week and then you have to adjust yourself to the course every week as well.

"Grass is different, green is different, wind, weather is different."

After leading the tournament by a shot after one round, Lin posted a steady round with four birdies and one bogey to stay in the hunt for her first LPGA win.

"I put in the practice and (I'm) telling myself... what I have done and what I've been working on, and I'm willing to see the results," Lin said.

"Even (if) it's not a great day, I'm trying to do something."

Notable players to miss the cut of three over included South Korean Major winner Kim Sei-young (four over) and American world No. 2 Nelly Korda (five over).

Meanwhile, Mackenzie Hughes of Canada shot the low round of the day, a nine-under 63, to vault into a tie for the lead at the Sanderson Farms Championship on Friday in Jackson, Mississippi.

Hughes is tied with Belgium's Thomas Detry at 10-under 134 after two rounds.

REUTERS, AFP