Charley Hull Shines at AIG Women’s Open 2024 Amidst Challenging Weather
The AIG Women's Open 2024 kicked off on a windy Thursday in Scotland, with Charley Hull seizing the lead at the final major of the LPGA season. Meanwhile, the French players struggled to keep up, finishing over par.
Céline Boutier had a tough start at the Old Course at St Andrews, battling strong gusts that swept across the iconic Scottish course all day. Boutier returned a card of 77, which included a double bogey on the challenging par-3 8th hole, compounded by a poorly executed iron shot. The six-time winner on the American circuit never found her rhythm on Thursday, finishing the first round in 99th place at +5.
Emma Grechi, who qualified on Monday for the final Major of the season, also faced difficulties but managed to hold on. Starting from the 10th hole, the French player made three bogeys in her first five holes but fought back with consecutive birdies on the 5th and 6th. Her round of 73 places her 32nd at +1, making her the best-performing French player in the field.
At the top of the leaderboard, Charley Hull delivered an impressive round of 67, finishing at -5 after 18 holes. Hull’s round included six birdies and one bogey, demonstrating her ability to handle the challenging conditions. "I had a lot of fun playing today," said Charley Hull after her round. "I was watching TV before my round, and I saw the scores. I thought, 'How can she be 4-under par?' (Ruoning Yin was the early leader at -4). That’s an incredible score. I would take that right now because there were so many gusts on the course. I’d say the last three holes were a bit easier. The wind died down, but before that, it was very, very strong, especially when we got stuck on the 11th (where she waited for nearly 30 minutes). It was also very cold."
Charley Hull, a three-time winner on the LET, leads the tournament by one shot over Ruoning Yin and Nelly Korda, who both finished at -4 after rounds of 68. The American Nelly Korda closed out her round strongly with five birdies, including three on her last five holes.
As for the French contingent, it wasn’t a day of celebration. Emma Grechi is tied for 32nd at +1, Perrine Delacour is 48th at +2, and Céline Boutier is far behind in 99th place at +5.
The AIG Women's Open, known as the British Women’s Open, is a prestigious tournament that has been part of the LPGA and European Tours since 2001. The 2024 edition, held at the historic Old Course, boasts a prize fund of $9,000,000. The tournament continues to be a highlight of the golf season, with players like Charley Hull aiming to secure a major victory.
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