Hull intends to be big in Japan
CHARLEY HULL came to the Olympics as the world’s 27th ranked player and showed everyone just why she should be ranked an awful lot higher than that by Tokyo in 2020.
Four strokes out of the medals at the start of the final round in the women’s golf, the 20-year-old drew level with third-placed Lydia Ko standing on the 13th, only for her momentum to stall with an ugly three-putt
She finished with a 68 to tie for seventh and receives a diploma that goes to everyone who finishes in the top eight. The gold went to Korean Inbee Park, whose display was remarkable given this is the first tournament she has played all four rounds since April owing to a thumb injury.
With five Koreans in the world’s top 10 and only four allowed to compete, Park was put under pressure to make way, but the seven-time major winner proved all her doubters wrong with a stunning five stroke success.
World No1 Lydia Ko claimed silver for New Zealand after holing a 12ft birdie putt at the last to relegate China’s Shanshan Feng to bronze.
Hull vowed to bridge the gap come Tokyo. ‘This was a fabulous experience and there’s so much I can take out of it,’ she said. ‘I don’t think I concentrate well enough on and off the course but I learned plenty this week.’
Team GB manager Jamie Spence was impressed. ‘I think she could be in the top 10 any year she wants,’ he said. ‘The thing you notice about the Asians, though, is their professionalism, and perhaps that’s something for Charley to look at.’
Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, Team GB’s other representative, shot 70 for tied 29th.