SAMMAMISH, Wa. – Charley Hull prefers to arrive at tournaments at the last possible moment. She caught the final flight out of London on Monday night to Seattle only to find that her clubs had been left behind by British Airways, along with her gym shoes inside the golf bag.
Stressed out at the airport the next day before the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship began, Hull waited for the airline to locate her belongings.
She was finally reunited with her clubs, but it wasn’t until Wednesday that she got her first look at Sahalee Country Club, even though she competed here eight years ago and finished 16th. Hull admitted that she couldn’t recall the last time she played a full 18-hole practice round.
“I also suffered from severe stomach cramps yesterday,” said Hull, “but I had no choice but to play.”
The good news is that Sahalee Country Club, with its majestic tree-lined fairways, feels like a familiar place to Hull, who mentioned that the Duchess Course at her home club of Woburn is quite comparable, only longer. Hull started with a solid 2-under 70 and is currently in a large group of players trailing the clubhouse leader Nelly Korda by just one shot.
Hull managed to avoid any major errors, except for a “very silly three-putt”, and felt positive about her performance until she strained a hip muscle towards the end of the round.
“I’ve always had issues with my hips,” she said, “and it just acted up with about three holes left. Hopefully, some physiotherapy will fix it.”
Currently ranked 8th in the world, Hull finished as a runner-up in two major championships last year but is yet to secure a win. She appreciates the challenge presented by Sahalee because it demands her full focus.
“This course feels like a second home to me,” said Hull, a self-proclaimed golf enthusiast who played eight rounds in seven days – walking with her carry bag – while she was back home.
A two-time LPGA winner, Hull made headlines at the U.S. Women’s Open last month when a video of her signing autographs with a cigarette in her mouth went viral. She took the attention in stride, mentioning that while her agent typically manages her social media, she heard that she gained 70,000 new followers in just two days.
Hull’s friends often suggest that she should have her own reality TV show.
“I’m just being myself,” said Hull, who mentioned that she is currently trying to quit smoking.
“I’m not going to change for anyone. I’ll remain true to myself, and people can decide whether they like it or not.”
