Charley Hull is targeting a strong end to the LPGA Tour season after overcoming pre-tournament passport issues and illness to rally to an impressive finish at The Annika.
A delay in getting a visa renewed left her unable to travel from England to Florida until Tuesday, with Hull pulling out of the Wednesday pro-am – due to feeling sick – and leaving her playing the event without a practice round.
Hull described how she ‘just winged around the golf course’ during an opening-round 68 at Pelican Golf Club, before following back-to-back 67s by charging up the leaderboard with a bogey-free 63 on the final day.
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Highlights from the final round of The Annika at the Pelican Golf Club, where Linn Grant closed out an impressive victory
The Englishwoman finished tied-fourth and five strokes behind Solheim Cup team-mate Linn Grant, with Hull pleased with her performance heading into the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
“I was in the car and I was like, ‘we should go for everything today and just make as many birdies as we can, try and stalk down Linn Grant,'” Hull said after her final round. “I just played pretty solid all day.
“I hit it pretty well – even left some putts out there. I feel good going into next week [CME Group Tour Championship], especially without having a practice round this week.”
Only the top 60 available players in the LPGA Tour’s the Race to the CME Globe standings get to feature, with Hull finishing the highest-ranked European in the season-long points after another impressive campaign.
Hull won the Kroger Queen City Championship in September – her third LPGA Tour title – and finished runner-up at the AIG Women’s Open, with the 29-year-old now relishing the chance to return to the venue where she claimed her breakthrough LPGA Tour victory in 2016.
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Charley Hull reflects on her AIG Women’s Open performance, where she finished tied-second and narrowly missed out on a maiden major
“It [confidence] feels really good,” Hull added. “I’ve won around that course [Tiburon Golf Club] before. That was my first win on the LPGA Tour, so I’ve got good memories of it.
“I’ve had a second there (2019) as well, so I like the golf course. So yeah, just going to be a good end to the season.”
The winner will be named the Race to the CME Globe Champion and receive $4 million, the largest single prize in the history of women’s golf, with the runner-up earning $1 million.
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Highlights from the final round of the 2024 CME Group Tour Championship, where Jeeno Thitikul ended her season on a high
Historic time for English golf on LPGA Tour
Major winners Miyu Yamashita, Grace Kim, Mao Saigo and Maja Stark – along with Grant – are all in action, as is Nelly Korda as she looks to avoid a winless season on the LPGA Tour.
Hull is joined in the field by compatriot Lottie Woad, who makes her debut after only turning professional in the summer, with two Englishwomen currently inside the world’s top 10 for the first time in history.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Golf podcast earlier this summer, Karen Stupples said she believes Lottie Woad ‘has potential to be a World beater’
Grant, Celine Boutier, Carlota Ciganda, Maja Stark, Esther Henseleit, Madelene Sagstrom and Leona Maguire are among the other European names in action, while world No 1 and defending champion Jeeno Thitikul topped the season-long standings after two wins and 13 top 10s this season.
How can I watch the CME Group Tour Championship?
All four rounds of the CME Group Tour Championship are live on Sky Sports Golf, with coverage starting at 7pm for each of the first three days before starting at 6pm for Sunday’s final round.
The LPGA Tour season finale is one of two events live on Sky Sports, with the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic also live daily. Stream the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, DP World Tour and more with no contract.
