Charley Hull started her day in the best way possible at Whirlwind Golf Club. She capped it with a bogey-free 9-under 63 to take the lead by one shot over Nanna Koerstz Madsen. Hull brought tremendous energy, repping her leadership and veteran experience with steady play, hustle and conditioning. Her top priority for 2025 has nothing to do with the game itself.
Hull recently placed a $10,000 wager with fellow pro golfer Ryan Evans that she would stop smoking. Her dedication to fitness really shined through as she started her day at 6:30 am. She fell asleep at 2 a.m. after calling family in England, only to wake up and hit the gym for 4 a.m. practice. With the confidence of having just run 4.4 miles on the treadmill, she was committed to showing out on the course that day.
The secret to Hull’s winning round was her driver, despite the fact that she didn’t know what to expect from it in advance. “And I really, really, really hit it well today,” – Charley Hull
Hull’s round at Whirlwind Golf Club was one for the ages, both skillful and dramatic. She was the first to admit that she played the game on the offensive. Rather than enjoying her well-executed birdie putts, she focused on the ones she almost made. One of her birdies was set up by a lucky bunker shot on the 10th hole. The ball ricocheted off the pin and fell in for a buzzer-beater bonus!
“I feel like I left actually a good four shots out there,” – Charley Hull
Throughout the week, one of her big focuses was working with TaylorMade officials on getting her driver dialed in. This joint effort resulted in her outstanding opening round. Her fitness routine is an essential part of her lifestyle now. It’s carried her to hold on to a wide lead, despite wavering earlier in the week.
With both on her radar, along with improving her overall fitness and ditching cigarettes, Hull’s ambitions stretch well beyond golf. Her long-term goal is to run a 5K in under 20 minutes by 2025. Her commitment to making things better was apparent in her energetic all-day walk. She crossed the line without blood leaking through her sock, an issue she’d suffered earlier in the week from a heavy training load.
“I was just trying to go as low as I could,” – Charley Hull
Leave a Reply