Charley Hull finished runner-up to Lilia Vu at the 2023 AIG Women's Open; Hull looks to become the first Englishwoman since Georgia Hall to win a major; Watch the opening round live on Thursday from midday on Sky Sports Golf
Tuesday 20 August 2024 14:36, UK
Charley Hull insists she is “healthy and ready to go” as she targets a “very special” major breakthrough at the Home of Golf in the AIG Women’s Open.
Hull is a two-time runner-up on the Ladies European Tour this season and finished second in two of the five women's majors in 2023, including to Lilia Vu at last year's AIG Women's Open at Walton Heath.
The world No 10 has been grouped alongside Vu and world No 1 Nelly Korda for the first two rounds at the iconic Old Course, with Hull hoping to go one better than her 2023 performance and claim a maiden major title at St Andrews.
"I teed it up on the back nine yesterday [Monday] morning, and as you walk down 17 and 18 you get goosebumps," Hull said in her press conference. "It would be a pretty special win. Something that you've always dreamed of as a baby, so it would be very special."
Hull posted top-25 finishes in the first three majors of the year but suffered a shoulder injury ahead of the Aramco Team Series event in London, where she withdrew mid-round before missing the cut at the Evian Championship the following week.
She struggled to an opening-round 81 on her return to action at the Olympics before improving over the final three days to finish tied-27th, although she insists the slow start was not due to the shoulder injury sustained earlier in the summer.
"The first round of the Olympics was more just because of nerves," Hull explained. "I put in a lot of work but coming back after those five weeks off, I just got a little bit nervous.
"I have all little check points and at home I was playing some great golf, but it was just the first round of the Olympics - I don't know why. The last three rounds, I was eight under par and then I was back to myself and carried it on last week.
"My shoulder just got a little bit tight, so I had acupuncture and needles in it every other day. When it's cold, it can play up a bit. I've got degenerative arthritis in it as well, so (I) just try to keep it warm. Apart from that, I'm healthy and ready to go."
Hull followed her strong finish at the Olympics by contending at last week's ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open, where she finished in fifth spot, with the 28-year-old pleased with her performance going into the final major of the year.
"I feel pretty positive," Hull explained. "I haven't got the best track record on links golf, but I'm learning every time, and I'm just enjoying it.
"A couple of weeks ago, my coach got me working on doing a lot of three-quarter swings because my golf swing got a little bit too long. I kind of understand why he's got me working on it, because he's just introduced me to get a low ball flight for these couple of weeks coming up for the links.
"I think you've just got to be patient out there. I do find St Andrews, actually, a harder links for me, not necessarily because it's super tough but because there's not really lines in the fairways. It just looks very open, so it's quite hard to pick a point in the distance."
Who will win the AIG Women's Open? Watch all four rounds live this week on Sky Sports! Live coverage of the opening round begins Thursday at midday on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the women's majors and more sport with NOW.
