Charley Hull Surges Into Contention At Women’s Open As Leader Wobbles

There are fewer things much breathtaking successful play than a marauding Charley Hull. Not only did we witnesser precisely that astatine Royal Porthcawl, but Hull sent an errant changeable whizzing past nan caput of Minjee Lee for added theatrical effect.

Hull had been battling to make nan Women’s Open trim for overmuch of Friday afternoon. She started her 3rd information 11 shots adrift of Miyu Yamashita. Within 9 holes, Hull was 5 nether par and connected nan charge. Further birdies astatine nan 12th and 13th meant nan Englishwoman was only 4 down Yamashita. Hull did bogey nan 14th, meaning a 66, but Yamashita’s nonaccomplishment to build connected her 36-hole position abruptly makes this a highly intriguing scene. Yamashita had conscionable 1 subordinate wrong six strokes of her astatine halfway. A messy 74 intends Yamashita leads by a azygous shot. Her short putting touch wholly deserted her complete Saturday’s closing stretch. Hull is only 3 down Yamashita.

On nan penultimate hole, Yamashita outrageously saved par from 40ft. This was a uncommon highlight. Thoughts of a convoy person quickly vanished. Back to backmost nines of 37 saw to that. The imaginable of upwind and rainfall connected time 4 intends this could move into an epic scrap.

Hull was successful wonderfully bullish mood. “I conscionable bask chasing,” she said. “It’s rather fun. I for illustration it. It’s much nosy that way. I for illustration hunting personification down.”

Will Hull spell for it connected Sunday? What a silly question. “100%,” she added. “I haven’t sewage thing to lose, person I?”

It would, successful 1 sense, beryllium ridiculous if Hull ends her hold for a awesome connected nan Welsh coast. She has ne'er been a immense instrumentality of links play and entered this Women’s Open nursing a backmost problem. Hull had besides admitted she mislaid 4 kilograms because of an unwellness which saw her removed from nan people astatine nan Evian Championship connected a aesculapian cart. “Kind of for illustration playing play pinch your mates,” said Hull of her mindset for nan last round. “You conscionable want to make birdies connected each hole. That’s really it feels tomorrow.” Unsurprisingly, she now feels arsenic beardown arsenic ever.

Miyu Yamashita struggled connected nan greens successful nan 3rd information connected nan measurement to a 74. Photograph: Nigel French/PA

At Porthcawl, Hull came adjacent to injuring different personnel of nan field. A uncommon loose shot, astatine nan 4th, went flying past Lee aft a azygous bounce arsenic she addressed her shot connected nan 17th tee. The shot rebounded from signage astatine nan backmost of nan tee, meaning Hull was spared a changeable from heavy rough. “I for illustration Minjee, I wouldn’t want to return her out,” said Hull pinch a smile.

Lee was unperturbed by nan incident. “It was thing major,” said nan Australian. “I was gladsome nan shot bounced. I’m beautiful focused. I conscionable reset and past conscionable spell deed nan ball.”

This is not conscionable nan Yamashita and Hull show. Yamashita’s Saturday wobbling brought a big of players backmost into nan tournament. Kim A-lim is nan closest subordinate to Yamashita’s 9 under. Andrea Lee is simply a changeable further backmost astatine minus seven. Megan Khang, Rio Takeda and Minami Katsu are alongside Hull astatine six under. Georgia Hall will fancy her chances from 4 under. Hall is simply a changeable up of Lottie Woad. Twenty 3 players are wrong 7 of what is now very overmuch an nether unit leader.