Charley Hull Driven by Home Fans and More From Woburn

WOBURN MEMBER CHARLEY HULL DRIVEN BY HOME FANS

Every athlete loves to compete in front of a home crowd. Not only is Charley Hull playing in front of her English compatriots this week, but she will have the partisan cheers of her fellow Woburn Golf Club members as she competes in her eighth AIG Women’s British Open. In 2018, Hull watched as her childhood friend Georgia Hall became the fourth Englishwoman to capture their country’s national title. As Hull prepares for this final major of the 2019 season, she is working hard to take inspiration from that win while still maintaining a level head.

“I'm just going to go out there and enjoy it. I'd always love to win a major, especially on home turf. I think it would be great,” said 23-year-old Hull, who has been a member at Woburn since age 11. “But just going to go out there and enjoy it, and the more I enjoy it, hopefully it gives me a chance to win out there.”

Hull competed in the 2016 AIG Women’s British Open here on Woburn’s Marquess Course, finishing in a tie for 17th. This year’s tournament brings Hull to a course measuring 293 yards longer than 2016 (6,463 yards to 6,756 yards), a development she feels favors her powerful game.

“This golf course does suit a player that's longer because the holes are designed for the back tees,” said Hull, who is 26th in Average Drive Distance at 268.5 yards. “It's nice they're playing it back because it makes the holes real good because that's how they should be played.”

Hull begins her championship campaign at 7:36 a.m. alongside major champions Hannah Green and Shanshan Feng.

CRUNCH TIME FOR CAPTAIN MATTHEW

This week’s AIG Women’s British Open marks the 10th anniversary of Catriona Matthew’s British Open title at Royal Lytham and St Annes. Matthew’s lone major title in 2009 came just 11 weeks after she gave birth to her second daughter, Sophie. While Matthew is stepping away from full-time life on the LPGA Tour this season, she is set to make her 25th start at the Women’s British Open this week in Milton Keynes.

“It's always nice to come back,” said Matthew of the AIG Women’s British Open. “The only major we get to play in Britain, in your home country, so yeah, it's always great to come back. 10 years seems to have zipped past. Yeah, I've always enjoyed playing here. The last time -- was it four years ago or two years ago we played here, so the course is in great shape. Played the last couple of days, so looking forward to getting out there.”

While Matthew is focused on hoisting a second major title this week, she has other duties on her mind as well. The nine-time Solheim Cup participant will captain Team Europe in her home country of Scotland in September, and with just two events to go for European qualifications it’s crunch time for the players. Scouting will be made a bit easier for the captain this week as she’ll play the first two rounds alongside top English golfer Bronte Law, who must rely on a captain’s pick to make her Solheim Cup debut in Gleneagles.

“It will be nice to play with her and watch her on the golf course,” Matthew said of Law. “I think you always learn a lot more watching someone playing in competition, so it will be nice to be out with her for a couple of days.

Matthew and Law will tee off the first round at 11:54 a.m. with Cristie Kerr.

FOUR WEEKS IN A ROW JUST THE TICKET FOR WOBURN FAN LEXI THOMPSON

Rolex Rankings No. 3 Lexi Thompson will be competing for a fourth consecutive week on the LPGA Tour when she tees off in Thursday's opening round of the AIG Women's British Open, but she would not have it any other way. Not only has she been playing good golf over the past three months - a rare blip coming in the shape of a missed cut at The Evian Championship last week - but she has been selective in playing the tournaments where she feels comfortable.

"This is my fourth week in a row, so it's been a lot of golf for me this year. In general, there's a lot more tournaments that were in a row that I wanted to play in," said Thompson, who has recorded seven top-10s this season in 15 starts, including a victory at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer and three runner-up spots. "It's just one of those years where I'm playing a lot more, but at the same time I'm making sure to take that downtime when I do go home and not grind away on practice sessions ... I feel great about my game. It's in a good spot. We're going to miss cuts and you can't play perfect every day. Sometimes it's just not your week."

Thompson, an 11-time winner on the LPGA Tour, loves the look of the par-72 Marquess Course at Woburn Golf Club, which first hosted the Women's British Open in 2016. On that occasion, Thompson tied for eighth, her best finish in six career starts in this major championship.

"It's a great golf course," Thompson said of a layout that will play at 6,756 yards off the back tees this week and feel even longer for many of the players because of rain on Tuesday. "It played a lot different in '16. It was a lot firmer, and this year it's obviously gotten a lot more rain, especially with last night, so it's a lot softer and greener. They've moved a few tee boxes back, so a little bit more added yardage on this golf course. I like the length of the golf course, and it's probably in the best shape I've seen. I really like this golf course a lot and I feel good about where my game is at."

PARK READY FOR NEW CHALLENGE AT WOBURN

LPGA Hall of Fame member Inbee Park enters this week’s AIG Women’s British Open on a hot streak. Park has not missed a cut in 12 starts in 2019 and enters the final major of the year with three straight top-10 finishes under her belt, including a T7 finish at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and a T8 finish at The Evian Championship. 

“I'm having a lot more fun on the golf course, whether I am playing good or bad,” Park said on Wednesday in Milton Keynes. “I have been a little bit more accurate with the ball-striking, but my putting hasn't been the way I want it to be. I really feel like it's slowly coming around a little bit. I have been putting a little bit better the last few tournaments or so.”

Having missed the 2016 AIG Women’s British Open due to injury, Park is seeing Woburn Golf Club for the first time this week. With seven major titles under her belt, including the 2015 British Open at Trump Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, Park is ready for a different type of test this week.

“The course is in really good condition. I think probably the fastest greens that I've played a British Open because with the wind, British Opens tend to not make the greens as quick as other tournaments. But yeah, just a different golf setup, and I think the course is going to play a little bit long with all the wind and the rain conditions,” said Park. “As always, British Open is always just a fight with nature. You have to work your way around the wind and work your way -- try to maybe stay dry. I don't think you can, but yeah, it's been quite windy the last couple days I have been here, so it's going to be a challenge, and different golf course and course setup. It's going to be just a little bit different for me.”

Park will tee off the first round on Thursday at 7:14 a.m. with Jessica Korda and Angela Stanford.

TV TIMES (all times Eastern)

Aug. 1 – 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Golf Channel)

Aug. 2 – 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Golf Channel)

Aug. 3 – 7-11 a.m. (Golf Channel), 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (NBC)

Aug. 4 – 7-11:30 a.m. (Golf Channel), 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. (NBC)