Grateful Hull says she ‘can’t wait for Nairn’

NO DOUBT feeling she had a point to prove after the controversy surrounding her decision to play in the event rather than attend a Curtis Cup trial at Nairn, England’s Charley Hull produced a fine opening round in the Kraft Nabisco Championship in California.

The 16-year-old, who was dropped from the GB&I squad over her decision but was then picked in the eight-strong team to face the Americans in June after a surprising U-turn by the selectors earlier this week, shot a one-under-par 71 at Mission Hills to sit just four shots behind the early clubhouse leader, Australian Lindsey Wright. Out in the second group of the day in the opening women’s major of the season, Hull made the best possible start with an opening birdie-3 and did little wrong thereafter as she went on to outscore her playing partner, Frenchwoman Karine Icher, by two shots.

Afterwards, Hull, the world No  7, confirmed she will be accepting the LGU’s invitation to take up a spot on the GB&I team at Nairn on 8-10 June. “I’m so happy and I’d like to thank all the selectors,” she said.

“I’m back on the team now. I was upset, obviously, but now I’m really happy that I’m back in it. Now it’s history. I didn’t think they were going to change it for me, but I’m glad they did. I can’t wait for Nairn.”

Janice Moodie was also among the players outscored by Hull in California, where the US-based Scot opened with a 73 that included one birdie and two bogeys to sit six behind early pacesetter Wright, the Kent-born player signing for six birdies and one bogey on her card.

Catriona Matthew, the other Scot in the field, was among the later day one starters along with world No 1 Yani Tseng, who is bidding to win her third LPGA Tour title in a row.