Women's British Open: Hull storms into contention
After picking up nine birdies in the third round of the Women’s British Open Charley Hull questioned whether or not she played aggressive golf.
Moments later she explained that she would hit driver on a 10-yard-wide fairway before quickly adding, with a smile, “Yeah, I am aggressive. If it’s a stupid pin I’m not going to take it on but if it’s reasonable, I just go for it.”
Round-up of the rest of the stories from Saturday
The 18-year-old began the day in 49th spot, she then started the day with two bogeys but over the next three or so hours she ‘went deep’.
Seven of her birdies came from inside 15 feet, the others were 30-footers at the 12th and 15th, and all four of Birkdale’s tightly-guarded par 3s were played in two.
Part of the plan was a different mindset, visualising the holes as though it was a parkland course. Hull plays most of her golf at Woburn where trees line every fairway.
“I’m pretty much doing it on every hole. It’s great because I’m really changing the picture of what it is.”
The strategy particularly came off at the 18th, a hole where the teenager had taken 13 shots in the first two days courtesy of two visits to the out of bounds.
"I thought, well, at the end of the day, that out of bounds is 60 yards right and I’m ripping it out there" – Charley Hull
In the third round, on the back of three putts at the 17th, she found the short stuff and put the finishing touches to the round of the week.
“I was about to pull my 3-wood out and my caddie was like, no, don’t hit that. I thought, well, at the end of the day, that out of bounds is 60 yards right and I’m ripping it out there.
“I find it hard to see links courses because everything is so flat but I just tried to pretend it was a really wide hole and hit a little fade down the left.”
On Sunday Hull might need more of the same but the prospect isn’t one that is overly daunting.
“I felt like I had a bit of pressure coming into this week and people are expecting a lot of me and I feel like I have stepped up there and really proved myself.
“The pressure is good though because it shows that you have played quite well this season. You can see it in two ways and I suppose I take the positives and think it’s a good thing.”
