Charley Hull, a prominent figure in women's golf, openly shares her profound dissatisfaction with consistently placing as a runner-up in major championships. For her, merely coming close is no longer sufficient, especially given her five second-place finishes in majors, with four of those occurring since 2023 alone. At the age of 30, Hull is currently at the peak of her career, having secured victories in two high-stakes tournaments over the last year. These successes propelled her to a career-best world ranking of No. 3, marking the highest achievement for any Englishwoman in golfing history. Yet, despite these notable accomplishments, the elusive major title remains her primary pursuit, deeply affecting her sense of professional fulfillment.
Charley Hull's Relentless Pursuit of Major Victory
In a candid interview with The Independent, conducted in anticipation of this week's AIG Women's Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, Charley Hull articulated her profound frustration. "I'm frustrated," she confessed. "I feel depressed after [finishing second]. I just want to win one. The day I win a major championship is the day I'll be able to fully sleep at night properly." Hull highlighted the unique atmosphere surrounding major tournaments, especially those held on home soil. "It is a lot different coming to a major. There's more of a buzz around the week and especially when it's at home like this. I think this and the US Open are the two pinnacle events. I kind of buzz off it and I just really want to do well."
Her most recent near-miss occurred at last month's US Open. Despite a slow start, Hull delivered an exceptional weekend performance, including a third-round 65 and a final-round 67. Her cumulative score of seven-under-par tied for the lowest 36-hole total in the history of the US Women's Open. However, she ultimately fell short by a single stroke to Nelly Korda, who claimed her fourth major title.
Hull openly admires Korda, stating, "I like watching Nelly because Nelly is the person that I want to be." She acknowledged the current disparity in their achievements, adding, "I don't really see it as a rivalry at the minute because, no offence, Nelly has got however many majors and I've got none. I've got five second places. Let me get my major in first, and then that's something we can think about in the future."
Beyond Korda, Hull also draws inspiration from talented Thai golfers Atthaya "Jeeno" Thitikul and Paphangkorn "Patty" Tavatanakit. She recounted a valuable learning experience at the US Open: "It was weird because at the US Open, I played the first two rounds with both of them and Patty T's short game was unbelievable. Mine wasn't so good in the first two rounds. So after I saw how slow and smooth Patty T's chipping action was, I worked on my chipping on the Friday afternoon and came out at the weekend and chipped really good. You don't pick up a lot of things from players, so when you see something you like, go for it."
Hull is known for her refreshingly honest opinions, including her past struggles with mental health and severe ADHD, particularly when discussing the challenges of links golf. She has previously expressed her frustration with the unpredictable bounces that can unfairly penalize well-executed shots on such courses.
During last week's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links, Hull's resilience was severely tested. She went viral for an extraordinary sequence of events on one hole, where a 15-foot birdie putt rolled off the green, leading to a score of nine. Despite this and another eight on a different hole, she battled back to make the cut. While she takes pride in her grit, she was less forgiving of the tournament organizers: "Last week there was some terrible pin positions by the rules official that shouldn't have been there," Hull remarked, adding, "But listen, anyone can 'eff up." She emphasized her fighting spirit: "The way I battled there gives me confidence. It just shows that I've got grit." She concluded with a philosophical note: "At the end of the day, it's just golf. People can say 'oh why is a pro making a nine? Why is a pro making an eight?' Listen, that's why we love golf so much because even for the best players, it can still be hard. And we're not robots."
Looking ahead to the AIG Women's Open at Lytham, Hull holds a special connection to the venue, recalling a pro-am she played there as a child with golfing legends like Morgan Pressel, Laura Davies, Lorena Ochoa, Annika Sorenstam, and Natalie Gulbis. Although her previous Open appearance at Lytham in 2018 resulted in a missed cut, she hopes this week will offer a fairer challenge, allowing her to finally break her major drought.
Hull also openly acknowledges the increasing prize money in women's golf. With this year's Open prize fund at $10 million and a winner's share of $1.5 million (significantly up from $3.25 million in 2018), she admits, "It's now the Tour's job, and our job as players, to make it really exciting for everyone, get more people to come and make it a massive event for the sponsors." She candidly shared, "It's great what they've done. It's nice and it's good because I love playing for money. I'm not going to lie. That's why I think I play so well in the majors. Even if I'm quite a lot behind I am like 'make loads of birdies today, extra dollars for me to get'!"
Ultimately, while financial incentives are welcome, Hull's true motivation remains the pursuit of that elusive major trophy, a victory she believes is essential for her professional peace of mind.
Charley Hull's persistent quest for a major title reflects a profound dedication that resonates deeply within the competitive world of professional golf. Her candid admissions about frustration, and the psychological weight of repeated second-place finishes, offer a humanizing glimpse into the relentless pressure athletes face at the pinnacle of their sport. It underscores that even at the highest levels of achievement, satisfaction can remain elusive until the ultimate goal is attained. Her admiration for rivals like Nelly Korda, and her willingness to learn from peers like Patty Tavatanakit, highlight a mature and growth-oriented mindset. Furthermore, Hull's openness about her struggles with mental health and ADHD not only normalizes these challenges but also demonstrates an admirable resilience that fuels her continued pursuit of excellence. Her journey serves as a powerful reminder that true success often lies not just in talent, but in unwavering determination and the courage to confront one's deepest desires head-on, even when the path is arduous.
