Charley Hull dismissed criticism following a pre-tournament prank at the Women’s Open, where she used counterfeit scratchcards purchased from a Blackpool novelty shop to deceive her longtime caddie Adam Woodward into believing he had won £100,000. The incident, which Hull filmed, generated mixed reactions among golf observers, with some viewing it as humorous while others characterized it as unnecessarily harsh treatment of her employee.
When asked about the controversy during her opening round, Hull took a dismissive stance toward detractors. She emphasized that she maintains boundaries with social media during tournament weeks and suggested that critics were overreacting to what she characterized as a lighthearted moment. Hull stated she would be willing to execute a similar prank again and noted that Woodward found the incident amusing once the initial shock wore off. She indicated plans to compensate her caddie by purchasing 100 scratchcards.
Hull’s opening round saw her shoot two-under-par 69, positioning her five shots behind early leader Atthaya Thitikul at Royal Lytham & St Annes. Thitikul, the Thai golfer, has accumulated 11 top-10 finishes in major championships since 2021 without securing victory. Ryu Hae-ran posted five-under-par 66 and currently sits in contention for a third consecutive major championship victory after winning the PGA and Evian Championships earlier in the year. Shiho Kuwaki matched Ryu’s opening score.
Lottie Woad carded 69, helping England’s hopes for a home winner eight years following Georgia Hall’s triumph at the venue. The aggressive approach by Woad proved effective, as she avoided Lytham’s numerous hazards. Other notable competitors faced mixed fortunes, with Minjee Lee carding 75 despite collecting an eagle, while Nelly Kord posted two-over-par 73.
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