Charley Hull overcame post-Solheim Cup illness and a lack of pre-tournament practice to get within two shots of the early lead at the LPGA Tour’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
Hull, making her first start since featuring in Team Europe’s Solheim Cup win in the Netherlands earlier this month, mixed seven birdies with one bogey during her opening-round 65 at Pinnacle Country Club.
The Englishwoman, who revealed post-round she had tonsillitis during Europe’s 15-13 victory over the United States, sits in tied-third on six under as Japan’s Yuna Nishimura set the early pace.
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Highlights from the Solheim Cup singles, where Team Europe closed out victory over Team USA
Hull failed to take advantage of two of the three par fives but responded well to being over-par early in her round, posting three birdies in a five-hole stretch from the 13th before adding four more in a six-hole burst after the turn.
“I felt like I played pretty solid,” Hull said. “It was quite weird, last week at home I didn’t hit a golf ball for like five days because I was bed-bound and I was so poorly.
“After the Solheim Cup I had the flu, I had sickness and everything. I nearly pulled out of this week because I felt like I wasn’t prepared enough! I came over to America on Saturday, had sponsor stuff up until Tuesday and got in here late Tuesday night.
“It wasn’t really the best prep, but actually I come in here with no expectations. I felt like I hit it pretty well tee-to-green and putted decent.”
A final-hole eagle pushed Nishimura into a one-shot advantage over China’s Yu Liu, who held the initial clubhouse lead after a bogey-free 64, while Hull is joined in the logjam on six under by Solheim Cup teammate Celine Boutier.
England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff threatened a late run at the lead until two bogeys in her last three holes saw her post a five-under 66, with compatriots Lottie Woad and Caley McGinty also three back.
Lottie Woad partnered Hull for all four sessions during her Solheim Cup debut
“With it only being three rounds, you want to get off to a good to start and try and not drop too many shots,” Woad explained. “If you hit a lot of greens like I did today then you’re not going to make too many bogeys.”
Mimi Rhodes opened with a four-under 67 and Chiara Tamburlini – who narrowly missed out on Solheim Cup qualification – also lies four behind after a low-scoring opening day.
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