Charley Hull issues injury update as she targets major breakthrough

This week’s AIG Women’s Open marks Charley Hull’s 55th career start in a major championship. 

Indeed, with the exception of the 2020 Chevron Championship, which she was forced to withdraw from after testing positive for Covid-19, the 28-year-old has been an ever-present on golf’s biggest stages for a decade.

She is, however, still searching for her first victory.

Hull resumes that bid at the event – if not the site – of her closest call to date.

The English ace finished runner-up in the AIG Women’s Open last year, the one and only time she has finished solo-second in a major.

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With this year’s renewal taking place over the Old Course at St Andrews, she is determined to go one better and continue a love affair with the Old Course that stretches back 15 years.

“When I was nine years old, we actually had the HSBC Wee Wonders here,” she recalled. “It wasn’t on the Old Course. It was around on one of the nine-hole golf courses. That was the first time I’d ever come to St Andrews.”

She returned the following year to watch Tiger Woods in the 2010 Open and contested the St Rule Trophy the following year.

“I actually stayed with Sir Michael Bonallack back then,” she added. “He was a pretty cool guy. I knew his daughter, Glenna, from Woburn.

“It is a really special place and I really like the pies in the halfway house. But they didn’t have them here yesterday. I was gutted.”

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Hull preparation for the final major of the year hasn’t been helped by a freak shoulder injury sustained in July when she fell getting out of the shower.

That ruled her out of action for five weeks before the Olympic Games in Paris where she opened with an 81 to all but end her medal prospects after day one.

Whilst she’s confident that the injury has now fully healed, she taking no chances.

“My shoulder got a little bit tight [after the Olympics] so I’ve had acupuncture every other day,” she added. “I’ve actually got it after this because, when it’s cold, it can play up a bit.

“I’ve got — is it degenerative arthritis in it, so when it gets cold, it gets a bit stiff.

“But apart from that, I’m healthy and ready to go.”

Fifty-fifth time lucky? We’ll find out soon enough.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor