Charley Hull admitted winning the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews would be “very special” ahead of the first round which begins on Thursday.
The 28-year-old fell short in last year’s competition after being pipped by American Lilia Vu, who produced a brilliant final-round 67 to clinch victory at Walton Heath.
This year St Andrews will stage the competition for the third time in its history and is a course that Hull described as giving her “goosebumps”.
She told a press conference: “I teed it up on the back nine yesterday morning, and as you walk down 17 and 18 you get goosebumps. It’s pretty cool.
“Obviously it’s the home of golf. It would be a special win. Something that you’ve always dreamed of as a baby, so it would be very special.”
GREAT PAIRINGS
The world number 10 begins her campaign on Thursday in a group consisting of defending champion Vu and world number one Nelly Korda.
Hull comes into the competition on the back of a tied 27th-place finish at the Olympics earlier this month and more recently finished fifth in last week’s Scottish Open.
She went into Paris 2024 recovering from a shoulder injury which forced her to withdraw from the Aramco Team Series in July, but insists she is “ready to go” for the Women’s Open.
When asked about how she has progressed from her injury, Hull said: “I think the first round of the Olympics was more just because of nerves. Like putting in a lot of work, but coming back after that five weeks off, I just get a little bit nervous.
“But it was just the first round of the Olympics, I don’t know why, and then the last three rounds I was under par and then I was back to myself and carried it on last week.
“My shoulder just got a little bit tight so I had acupuncture, and needles in it every other day.
“I’ve actually got it after this. Because when it’s cold, it can play up a bit. I’ve got degenerative arthritis in it as well.
“So when it does get cold, it gets a bit stiff, so (I) just try to keep it warm. Apart from that, I’m healthy and ready to go.”
1st Round Tee Times here