Charley Hull on her major dreams, backstopping and some exciting news
The 22-year-old from Kettering is one of English golf’s leading talents having burst onto the scene as a teenager, picking up her first professional win just days before turning 18.
She has flourished ever since and her most notable achievement came in the season-ending event of the 2016 LPGA season when she won the Tour Championship.
Having been a big part of the European side for the past three Solheim Cups, she will be looking to once again don the blue and yellow at Gleneagles in September.
We spent a few minutes chatting with Hull to get an insight into her game and her major hopes… oh, and she may have given us some pretty exciting news.
How would you compare your swing and mental game to when you turned pro?
Both aspects are a lot better. I feel like I’m hitting the ball really well, I had a pretty good season last year and a win at the start of this year.
I got ill a few weeks ago but I do feel like this is going to be a good year, I’ve matured.
Rate the aspects of your game – driving, iron play, short game, putting and mental
My mental game is pretty good, but I would say it goes, driving, irons, putting then short game.
Which major gives you the best chance of winning one?
I love the US Open, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and the ANA Inspiration. Those three are the best ones for me but when they play the British Open on a parkland course, it suits me more than when it’s on a links.
On a links course, you don’t have to be the best ball striker, you just need to get it round.
Do you plan your year around the majors?
Yes, I love majors, they’re my favourite events of the year because they are long.
I do plan my year around them because they are all key events for me.
What was the best thing about winning the Tour Championship?
The $500,000 prize! It was probably one of the biggest cheques of the year and bigger than some of the majors, so it was great to finish the year on a high.
Your take on the Backstopping incident involving Amy Olson and Ariya Jutanugarn?
To be honest, I think last week was blown out of proportion, all they were trying to do was speed up play.
The media and others are making a big deal out of it and I think they should just move on with life.
A day to yourself, which film do you watch?
I love Harry Potter, I’m a big fan.
First and last drinks of the night?
Blue WKD both times!
And now for the big one…
Two things we don’t know about you
I’m engaged to my boyfriend!
… And I like cheese.
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Background
World No. 23 and recent wire-to-wire winner of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club on the Ladies European Tour, Charley Hull, competed in her fourth HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore last week. The tournament, hosted on the stunning New Tanjong course at Sentosa Golf Club is dubbed as ‘Asia’s Major’ and arguably the one of the biggest tournaments on the LPGA circuit outside of the Majors. Hull seems to like it in Singapore, with two top-20 finishes at the tournament in the last two years. National Club Golfer exclusively caught up with Charley after the Pro Am, before she embarked on a very different activity off the golf course, a Segway ride on the fabulous Sentosa Island.
It’s no surprise players enjoy this week at Sentosa. With world class championship golf courses, unrivalled leisure opportunities and beautiful natural attractions, all set against the backdrop of Singapore’s iconic cityscape, only Sentosa can provide such a remarkable island offering.
