For the first time in 45 years, the distinctive figure of Laura Davies is not in the field for the Women’s Open. But no matter. On the evidence of an opening day dominated by the weather – and rounds that took more than six hours to complete – the present and future of English women’s golf is in good hands.
Leading the way is Charley Hull. On an ultimately crowded leaderboard containing the defending champion, Lilia Vu (69), and the world No 1, Nelly Korda (68), no one could match the five-under-par 67 shot by the 28-year-old. She has compatriots for company in the shape of her close friend and the former champion Georgia Hall and the world’s No 1 amateur, Lottie Woad.
So it was that, aided by the afternoon easing of a wind that gusted to more than 40mph before lunch, Hull was the best of the English bunch. Five birdies easily outnumbered the lone bogey on the six-time Solheim Cup player’s card as she toured the historic premises. Little wonder then that her final putt for one last birdie on the 18th was closely followed by a broad smile.
“It was loads of fun out there,” Hull said. “Watching television this morning I would have taken four-under par. So five is great. Yes, the last three holes the conditions eased and it was a bit easier. It all took ages though.”
After a 71 that concluded spectacularly with an eagle two on the par-four 9th, Hall’s cheery demeanour replicated that of Hull. It contrasted starkly with the downbeat countenance of Gemma Dryburgh. After her round of 79, the Scot claimed her ball moved twice on the 11th green. “Don’t know how it was playable to be honest,” was her damning verdict.
Despite having to contend with the worst of the winds, Hall enthused at length about what she calls “my favourite place and course in the world”.
“I looked out my hotel room window at 5am,” she said. “The flags on the range told me it was blowing a gale. I was like: ‘That’s great; hope it stays like that.’
“Today was definitely some of the toughest weather I’ve played in. And probably the windiest. It was such a battle. But I love those conditions, whether I play bad or not. This is a true Women’s Open. I believe this is how it should be every day.”
There are minuses and pluses within that assessment. After what she admitted was a poor drive off the first tee, Hall needed as much as a three iron to cover the 184 yards between her ball and the green. Going in the opposite direction, her closing eagle came by way of a massive 327-yard drive – “At first I thought about hitting a five iron short of the bunkers” – and an unerring 20-foot putt.
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As for Woad, the 20-year old from Farnham opened with a potentially disheartening bogey at the par-four 10th. But thereafter she displayed the class shown when she made three birdies in her last four holes to win the Augusta National Women’s Amateur this year.
On level par, she is already close to attaining her pre-championship aim of “being around for the weekend”. More of the same should take care of that.
