ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — Golf balls roll off the tees and greens. Players wore large earmuffs and neck warmers and put on oven-style mitts between shots. American star Rose Zhang said she lost her balance just standing up.
Wind gusts of up to 40 mph (64 kph) played havoc with the world’s best women’s golfers at the Women’s British Open in St. Andrews on Thursday.
Charley Hull experienced the best.
The 10th-ranked English player rolled in a 6-foot putt on No. 18 for the last six birdies at his home golf course to shoot 5-under 67 and lead by one stroke after the first round for the fifth and final major.
Hull, seeking their first major title, have a number of top-class companies at the top of the leaderboard.
At least his playing partner, top-ranked Nelly Korda, who hit No. 17 — the famous Road Hole — and 18th to join fellow major champion Ruoning Yin of China at 4 under.
Among those pushed back was defending champion Lilia Vu, who produced monster birdie putts on the front nine of the Old Course — hosting the Women’s British Open for the third time — in her round of 69.
Some just enjoy going through it.
“Definitely some of the toughest conditions I’ve ever played in, for sure,” said England’s Georgia Hall, the 2018 champion playing her final hole – No. 9 — for 71.
Hall is the last British player to win his home title. Now his best friend wants to do the same.
By the time Hull made his final descent, the wind had dropped and he looked cool in his sunglasses as he waved to the spectators lining the road. He will be a popular winner, not least because of his style and attitude.
Not forgetting how aggressively he plays golf, either.
Hull often had the longest drive on the marquee team that featured Korda and Vu, with one shot — the 14th — going 336 yards.
Level par after a bogey on No. 8, he made five birdies in his last 10 holes. There was a 12-footer on No. 12, foot 8 in No. 15 to join Yin for a share of the lead before Hull played the last — that glorious hole back to town — well by driving to the front of the green, hitting the second to 6 feet and making no mistake with the putt.
Hull was a little worried about watching the first starts on TV in the very windy weather.
“I said to my coach that it looks like they can call at any time because I don’t know how the balls stay on the green,” said Hull, who finished second with six goals to Vu in last year’s British Open. .
“You know what it’s going to be like before the cycle starts, so you just mentally prepare for that beforehand.”
That was part of the battle on a difficult day.
Korda, who won the Chevron Championship for the second time among the outstanding American 2024, is very happy.
“There’s something fun about playing in these conditions,” he said, adding: “Not that I will.”
Yin, ranked No. 6 and winner of last year’s Women’s PGA Championship, took it all in her stride.
“The conditions were difficult but it is the same for everyone,” he said. “You have to try to calm down my friend.”
Wu was in a six-point tie for fourth place with Jenny Shin and Mi Hyang Lee of South Korea, Andrea Lee of the United States, Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand and Mao Saigo of Japan.
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