- Charley Hull hopes to improve on her seventh-place finish at the Rio Olympics
- The 28-year-old has attracted attention for her smoking habit on the pitch.
- Golfers are not permitted to smoke at Le Golf National during the event.
Team GB’s Charley Hull got off to the worst possible start to his Olympic golf gold medal bid after admitting before the tournament that the smoking ban could hamper his chances.
The 28-year-old hit her first round tee shot into the water at Le Golf National on Wednesday morning as she began her bid to improve on her seventh-place finish at Rio 2016.
Things did not improve for the Briton after her nightmare start, as she fell to the bottom of the leaderboard after 13 holes with a mammoth score of eight over par.
Hull has gone viral for her habit of smoking on the golf course, which she says helps her control her nerves after being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder last year.
But the world number 11 is not allowed to do that at the Paris Games and admitted it could hamper her medal bid this time around.
Team GB’s Charley Hull got off to the worst possible start to his Olympic golf gold medal bid on Wednesday morning.
The 28-year-old will not be allowed to smoke on the golf course at the Paris Olympics
“Yes, I smoke on the course, it’s something I do,” he said after his practice round on Tuesday. “It’s a habit, but I won’t be doing it this week.”
“I think it will affect my chances, because it relaxes me a bit, but it is what it is.”
Ms Hull attributed her performance today to a shoulder injury she sustained when she fell out of the shower.
She said: ‘It’s been five weeks since I last played properly so I’m feeling a bit rusty… I’m feeling very frustrated.
“It wasn’t the start I wanted and I wanted a little less, but I’m playing pretty well and I just need one bad round to get back on the podium.”
American Nelly Korda is the gold medal favourite but also had a slow start to the 72-hole event and was tied at two over par with the Briton through her first four holes.
Team GB will be hoping for more golf success after Tommy Fleetwood claimed a silver medal in the men’s singles earlier this week.
Hull, who has withdrawn from the 2021 Olympics, which were delayed by the pandemic, is not the only British golfer aiming for success in Paris. She is competing alongside close friend and British star Georgia Hall.
She admitted the bubble restrictions of the Tokyo Games ultimately forced her to make a decision but insisted she had no regrets and claimed the absence made the return in Paris all the sweeter.
“It was the right thing to do at the time, but I get even more excited thinking about Paris because Rio was a long time ago,” he tells Mail Sport, speaking on behalf of Rizz.
The two-time LPGA winner will play at the former Ryder Cup course, Le Golf National, from August 7-10.
Tommy Fleetwood (right) won a silver medal in the men’s singles event earlier this week.
Hull will play alongside her best friend Georgia Hall, who will begin her first round on Wednesday afternoon.
On playing alongside Hall, who is making her Olympic debut, she said: “We’ve known each other since we were 11 and grew up practicing together. It’s perfect to be able to play with my best friend.”
These childhood friends have proven to be a formidable pair in the past, helping Europe crush the American dream at the last three Solheim Cups.
Most recently, they teamed up at the Dow Championship, something they say was a no-brainer.