Hull stays busy with home major, wedding
WOBURN, England – Charley Hull can’t remember much about the last time the AIG Women’s British Open was held at her home course. She does remember that her passport and cellphone were stolen out of the car on the final day at Woburn Golf Club. She has two passports, however, so it wasn’t as detrimental as it sounds.
She also remembers shooting 5-under off the back tees at the Marquess Course from 7,218 yards four weeks after the Women’s British.
“I just remember thinking, why couldn’t I do that in the British Open?” asks Hull, who took a share of 16th.
Hull, a Woburn member for eight years, has played the Marquess Course only a couple of times in 2019. She prefers to practice on the Duchess Course as it’s a tighter layout.
“There’s loads of golfers in the field that are like in it to win it,” said Hull, “and I just feel I’m just going to go out there and enjoy the whole experience. I’ve not been here as much. In fact, I
took Monday off and didn’t come down, and I’m only playing nine holes today. Just trying to get my work done and go back to the hotel.”
Only two weeks ago Hull was in the hospital still dealing with salmonella poisoning, which she contracted the
week of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine. She’s feeling 100% now and pleased to see the course stretched out 308 yards farther than it was in 2016.
“Everyone has so many high expectations for her,” said compatriot Mel Reid, “but I think this is probably the toughest week that she ever had because of the expectations and because it is her home golf course.”
It’s a busy time for 23-year-old Hull, who first captured the hearts of many golf fans when she defeated Paula Creamer in the 2013 Solheim Cup and then promptly asked for her autograph to give to a friend.
Hull will be tying the knot the week after this year’s Solheim Cup at home in England. She’s engaged to Ozzie Smith, a mixed martial arts fighter. The wedding ceremony will take place Sept. 21 at a church in her village near Kettering while the reception will be in the garden of her home. Georgia Hall, last year’s Women’s British Open champ, will be in attendance.
Even though Hull lives just north of Woburn, traffic on the M1 can make it a two-hour commute. She’ll be staying closer to the course this week, trying to make it feel as normal as possible.
“It’s kind of helped because obviously Georgia won last year,” said Hull, “media attention will be on her, which will be nice. I’m just going to chill.”