Charley Hull was hoping to achieve more at the US Women’s Open than becoming the subject of a viral video of her smoking cigarettes, but England’s top-ranked golfer (of either gender) appears destined to see another major title elude her capable reach.
A third-round 72 was far from disastrous on a Pennsylvania course that has only re-emphasized the U.S. Golf Association’s reputation as a sadistic course, of course, but Hull, 28, needed a lot less to get into the fight.
The world number 8 is nine years old and, barring something exceptional, will not be able to emulate her heroic acts when she finished second last year in the most illustrious tournament in women’s sport.
After an opening 75, Hull fought back with a couple of two overs, which in the brutal test that is Lancaster Country Club can, at the very least, be described as commendable.
Of course, the USGA is famous for conducting tests in the men’s US Open that are regularly considered probing to the point of being unfair, and while players this week at William Flynn’s brainchild have not complained, there is no doubt that the challenge has been on the brink of the abyss.
Nelly Kordathe number one in the world who arrived having won six of her last seven events, missed the cutas well as other big names such as defending champion Allisen Corpuz, Rose Zhang and Brooke Henderson.
Golf never follows clear scripts, but it was especially disappointing that Korda – who shot an 80 in the first round – is absent on a weekend when women’s sport clearly desperately needs exposure.
In part, Hull, this wonderfully unreconstructed individual from Kettering, has done his bit by attracting attention on social media. It has been an open secret for some months that the gym-lover has taken up smoking and Telegraph Sport understands the TV footage has taken pains to cut to when she is mid-inhale.
But the lenses caught her this week and there was a funny moment when Korda approached Hull and showed him the incriminating evidence. Along with Megan Khang, the trio burst into laughter.
Hull, a talented forward who has spoken publicly about being diagnosed with ADHD, is known as a unique person and, if the reports from Pennsylvania are accurate, her legend as a unique character will only grow. When asked why she has the habit, Ella Hull apparently told the reporter: “Because I want to stop vaping.”