KPMG WOMEN'S PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

June 20, 2024

Charley Hull

Sahalee Country Club

Quick Quotes

THE MODERATOR: Here with Charley Hull after her first round at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. What were some of the highlights of the day for you today?

CHARLEY HULL: Started off pretty well. Hit a good drive down my first hole, which was the 10th, and hit it to like I think seven feet. Missed it for birdie, but then I hit a good shot into the next hole and made birdie there.

Picked another couple -- well, birdied a couple holes later, and then kind of didn't hole much coming in.

Silly bogey on my 6th hole, but then bounced back with a long birdie putt on my -- was it my 7th hole? Sorry, guys, I've completely forgot my round.

Yeah, no, I felt like I played pretty well out there. Hit it pretty well. Pulled my hip out with like three holes to go, so I need to get some physio because it was affecting my swing. Hopefully they can sort it out for me.

Q. I know your clubs were a little delayed this week.

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah.

Q. How did you stay present early in the week when you couldn't fully practice?

CHARLEY HULL: At U.S. Open I flew out on the Sunday and I always try and get in as late as possible, but U.S. Open my coach came out and we thought we would do a bit more extra prep, and I thought like I was ready by Tuesday afternoon, so I didn't want to make that mistake coming out here.

I got last flight out Monday night, got here Monday night, and then my clubs didn't come, so I didn't get to see the golf course until yesterday.

But I felt like it was very similar to Woburn where I play at, so I felt kind of at home.

Q. What's the process of getting comfortable on this golf course? Visually it can look really intimidating.

CHARLEY HULL: Well, it is very comfortable to me because I'm used to this because Woburn, they have three different golf courses there and the Duchess is just like this, but this is a bit longer. I feel pretty comfortable. I love tree-lined golf course. The tighter it is, usually the better I play.

Q. Does it help your focus?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, just makes me feel like I'm at home. I just know that like -- I just like the fact that there is trees. I don't really like water on golf courses. At least when I hit it in the trees I know I can manufacture a shot and hit it out rather than taking the penalty shot.

Q. What did you do on Tuesday?

CHARLEY HULL: Tuesday I was bored because even any gym shoes was in my golf bag. I couldn't really go to the gym. I had to run in my other like normal shoes. I just waited at the airport for my clubs. They didn't know where they was, whether they was on the flight over from London or still in London or here. It was a bit stressy. We found them in the end.

Q. So you played all 18 yesterday?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, uh-huh.

Q. So how much did that kind of disorient you at all?

CHARLEY HULL: A little bit, because I don't remember the last time I played an 18-hole practice round. I usually just do nine and nine, see the course once, and that's it. It was a pretty long practice round.

And I had really, really bad stomach cramps yesterday as well, but I had to play. So I didn't feel the best, but I woke up this morning and felt fine and played all right, so there you go.

Q. Was the hip thing from a swing?

CHARLEY HULL: I had stomach cramps yesterday and felt like I was straining like bending over a bit like this, and I felt like I just pulled my muscle. I have bad hips anyway, and it just clicked out with like three holes to play. Hopefully some physio and it will be all right.

Q. Made headlines last year at Pebble Beach for saying, shy kids don't get sweets. This is a golf course you may feel like you have to be a little bit of a shy kid. How do you maintain the aggressive way you play golf?

CHARLEY HULL: The second hole which was my 11th hole today, it was literally only a rescue at the front of the green. I was in a bit of a divot and (indiscernible) talked me out of going for it in two.

Usually I would always go for it, because it's especially penal especially right off the shot. I like to aim 10, 15 yards right off the tee box and kind of draw it, where this you got to be pretty precise. I like the challenge. I like that you got to stay focused. I enjoy it.

Q. Playing that way typically, how have you adjusted in trying to pick specific targets or just kind of hitting and hoping?

CHARLEY HULL: No, I'm pretty tight on my targets anyway, usually every week. This golf course feels like home to me. The Duchess at Woburn is exactly like this. Even tighter. So it doesn't really faze me too much.

Q. How much were you playing that course in preparation for this week?

CHARLEY HULL: Not much. I played so much golf at home. I played eight rounds of golf in seven days. If anyone knows me, I'm a golf fanatic. When I'm at home I literally love playing golf with my friends and practicing.

But, yeah, like I was just playing loads of random golf courses and it was good.

Q. Does that energize you? How do you maintain your energy levels?

CHARLEY HULL: I just go gym, play golf, have a laugh on the golf course. At the end of the day I'm 28 years old. If I can't walk six miles around the golf course, there's got to be something wrong with me. I have my little carry bag, walk around, get exercise, enjoy the sunshine, because it's England at the minute, so the sun is out. Not all the time, but a lot of the time.

Q. A lone bogey in the opening round has to feel pretty good.

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, it was a silly bogey. It was very silly three-putt. I thought I was back at U.S. Open when I thought the putt had about ten feet of break on it and it only had about three, so I missed the hole by like seven feet left.

Yeah, the next hole I bounced back with birdie so it was all right.