ISPS HANDA WOMEN'S SCOTTISH OPEN

July 23, 2025

Charley Hull

Dundonald Links

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcoming Charley Hull to the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links. Can you just talk a little bit about how your preparations have gone?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, so going back to, actually, Ireland, like, I got both my coaches out to Ireland, and used that -- it was a really great unbelievable event but used it as a warmup, as well, for the Evian.

And, unfortunately, Evian, I became ill, obviously, and last week I took -- I took it easy, like I didn't go out on the golf course and play much. I was just doing a lot practise. Worked a lot with my coach, Nick, seemed, like, three or four times on, like, challenges and up-and-down challenges and seeing Matt my other coach, as well as Nick on Sunday, as well.

So I've been, like, practicing a lot and I love coming to Scotland. Still feels like I'm on home soil in the U.K., and yeah I think it's great preparation as well for next week.

THE MODERATOR: Did you drive up?

CHARLEY HULL: No, I didn't. I flew up in the end.

THE MODERATOR: And tell me a little bit, just for those who were not in Evian, we just saw that you collapsed.

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I was feeling really rough on the Monday and I was being sick all day because I flew home after Ireland. And then Tuesday I woke up and I still wasn't feeling very well. I had a practise round and I was just so tired. All my bones was aching in my body, and I had a really high temperature.

And the next day I played the Pro-Am and I soldiered through the Pro-Am, because I didn't want to let my Pro-Am team down. But I felt really rough, and all my bones was aching still.

Then I woke up the next morning on Thursday and I woke up in the morning and I felt really dizzy, cold sweats, had no energy.

I got through about 12 holes, and I was actually playing really solid golf. And then I teed of on the back nine. So it was on the third hole of the golf course, which was my 12th hole, I felt really dizzy and I was in the bunker hitting a fairway shot and I had to sit down for a minute because my eyesight went and my hearing went, and I don't know if anyone has ever fainted before. But your eyesight goes and then your hearing goes, and then it goes all muffled.

So I sat down, got up, hit my bunker shot, actually nearly made birdie. Walked to the next tee, called the medics, and then before I hit my tee shot, my eyesight went again, my hearing went, and then my knees gave away and I, like, collapsed and fainted. And then I got back up, hit my tee shot. Felt like -- sit down, I was thinking, I've only got six holes left. I've got some birdie holes. Like, just finish the day, get to three- or four-under and I'm sound.

Walked off the tee box, 20 yards off, I don't even remember anything. My caddie said my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I was out for over a minute. And the security guard and the medic caught me just before I was about to hit my head on a concrete slab. So I was out for a minute.

Every time I stood up, I fainted. That's why I to had to get a stretcher out, off, which was quite embarrassing but there you go. Caught on IV drip on me. They took my blood pressure. It was 80/50 which is quite low. My blood sugar was 0.4. I think I just had a really bad virus.

Then I asked my agent, Vicky, to text the Commissioner saying, Is there any chance Charley can finish her round this evening? Obviously you can't but I was gutted. I just had no energy since then, really.

Still don't feel a hundred percent now, like, 80 percent. Putted a few holes yesterday. I was too tired. Take my time out there this week. Probably won't see me strolling 30 yards ahead of everyone like I usually do. Probably be 30 yards behind everyone, but I'll get it done.

Q. And not that I would, but we won't be seeing you in the gym?

CHARLEY HULL: No. I've not been (to the) gym in two weeks and I'm not going to go to the gym for another two weeks. Need my immune system to check up with myself.

Q. How scary was that in Evian?

CHARLEY HULL: It was scary but it was weird. Like, I look back, I was like, it was actually quite scary. But at the time I just wanted to finish my round. So I was gutted that I didn't. But I don't know if anyone ever fainted before.

Like, when I woke up from fainting I felt, like, I come out of a really nice deep sleep. Like, I felt really nice. I was like, oh, this feels good. I'm, like, that's not my bedroom. I see birds above me and about 15 people around me and I was like, where the f--- am I? Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to swear. Sorry. But yeah, that's what I see when it happened.

Q. Doctor's advice?

CHARLEY HULL: Rest. There's a lot of swine flu going around. There's a lot of COVID going around. And my cousin actually had COVID and she was in Ireland with me. I've not seen her for two weeks and she started feeling pretty ill and I started feeling pretty ill.

Q. Such a big run of events.

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah. Exactly.

Q. If it wasn't at this time, still a couple of weeks --

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, but I don't like sitting still. Drives me bonkers, not being able to go to the gym. I've been chilling and practising. I've still been practising pretty hard. I'm not one to just do something. So just twiddling my thumbs.

Q. Woadie has made a big impression. How nice is that to see?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, it's really good. Obviously we share the same coach, putting coach, Nick, and he's always said how good she is and stuff, and it's just nice to see someone young coming through and that inspires everyone, do you know what I mean, even the older players on tour. I think it's really cool.

What I like about Lottie as well she loves golf so much, and she's just, like, obsessed with golf, and I love that because I'm the same, and I think she and her dad should be really proud of her.

Q. What advice would you have for her?

CHARLEY HULL: I've not really got much advice to give to her because she's just gone and won an event and she's gone second or third in a major. Just carrying doing what you've got to do, do you know what I mean. Don't take advice off too many people. Just do you at the end of the day.

Q. She said yesterday that you were the player that most inspired her. How does that feel?

CHARLEY HULL: That's pretty cool. That's probably the player that I most want to watch now.

Q. You've played this event a few times. The fact that Nelly is here this week, what does that add.

CHARLEY HULL: It's always great when Nelly playing in the event. Brings the crowds in and she's always fun to play with. I like Nelly a lot. Couldn't think of a more perfect world No. 1.

Q. Next week is one you've spoke before, how much you really want to win. Has it been frustrating the last couple of weeks?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, it's been actually really frustrating. Last Tuesday or Wednesday I was on the golf course, I was playing on a buggy and I felt, like, since I've played it, I felt like all my feels have been out of my swing, I just feel for a bit -- the best way to describe it is you know when you have a hangover and the next day, you go to, like, touch something your hand-eye coordination is out? That's how I generally feel about drinking. I hardly drink. I drink probably two or three times a year, and I've just been like that for eight years now.

But I couldn't get to the positions in my swing, I grounded it out so much least week, and now I feel pretty good. So, yeah, hopefully I'm looking forward to this week and next week and just going to go out and enjoy it.

Q. Does it take the pressure off because you're not feeling great? Gives you something else to think about>

CHARLEY HULL: Probably but probably not. At the end of the day, I play golf because I love it and I actually, like, feeling the pressure. I get very bored if there's no pressure going on in my life. So I still want to feel the pressure.

Q. Quite nice to try something different in a way? I remember in Singapore you were running -- maybe try something?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, running loads. Probably, running and that used to take my mind off stuff. Because I'd be, like, oh, I smashed my 5k run, don't really care how I play golf, do you know what I mean, that kind of thing.

Now it's, like, anything that makes me happy is getting a good score on the golf course. Yeah, just go out there and play have fun.

Q. Beware of the sick golfer,

CHARLEY HULL: Beware of the sick golfer, right. That's why I wanted to finish off at Evian.

Q. Is there a balance thing --

CHARLEY HULL: I think I just had a really bad virus. Because I think so many people, quite a lot of people come down ill at Evian, and a few people was in Ireland.

Q. When you touch, you catch it --

CHARLEY HULL: I know what you mean, yeah. So I hope not.

Q. Malbon got some interesting stuff the next couple weeks?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I think so. I really like their women's line. I think it's really nice and it suits me. I like Steven and Erica, they are great people. They are very clever with the way they run their stuff. Golf needed a kick up the butt with making it more out there and stuff. Because it's got people talking about it, even people who don't play golf, and I think that's what golf needs. And I think they are very clever and great people and credit to them.

Q. You're staying on site. How is your lodge?

CHARLEY HULL: It's great. I can just roll out of bed and come to the golf course. No driving about. It's easy. It's a great place, lovely lodges and definitely recommend anyone who is playing in Scotland to come here.

Q. Being back on home soil, does that bring a sense of comfort or raise expectations?

CHARLEY HULL: It brings a sense of comfort. I'm not going to lie, I'm not the best links player. Everyone thinks because I'm from England I've always been brought up playing links and that.

I've always played parkland golf courses because I'm from, like, the middle of England, do you know what I mean. We used to play the British Am and that on links golf. I do my game is more suited to America, but I do think now as I've matured a player, I've got more shots in my bag and everything and I've really work on it.

So I'm starting to like links golf. Like, I love links golf when I play with my friends. It's fun. But it's hard in a tournament when you have a card in your hand.

Q. Do you love playing at home?

CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I love playing at home. I love playing at home. I love playing at home with my mates. That's the fun. I love practising with my friends. We have chipping competitions, we have banter, do you know what I mean, that kind of stuff. I just love being at home.