Charley Hull Reveals Motivational Bet With Boyfriend After Fast Start At The Annika

Co-leader after round one of The Annika, Charley Hull revealed a side-bet moments before she headed out onto the course helped motivate her birdie-laden start on Thursday.

The World No.12 carded a first-round six-under 64 at Pelican Golf Club - the best 18-hole score of her LPGA Tour career - which put her at the top of the leaderboard alongside 2023 Epson Tour graduate, Jiwon Jeon who recorded an ace at the par-3 third.

While Hull was unable to score an eagle, she did mark down seven birdies - alongside her lone bogey - which arrived at the 10th, 14th, 15th, 18th, first, seventh, and eighth holes.

Although the Englishwomen did admit that her recent victory on the Ladies European Tour at the Aramco Team Series Riyadh had certainly strongly contributed to this week's subsequent form, Hull also revealed another motivating factor behind her fast start in Florida.

Hull said: "It was good to get a win in Saudi, and then taking that form on the golf course today.

"I actually had a bet with my boyfriend - every five birdies that I make, we have an extra day on our holiday. So I was trying to make 10 birdies. Hopefully I have more over the weekend and I have a two-week holiday at the end of the year!"

It’s not the first in-tournament challenge Hull has been involved in this year, with both her and friend Georgia Hall setting up a late contest between the pair at the Dow Championship back in late June.

During round two, Hall felt the pair were lacking positive momentum around the turn and suggested that whoever made more birdies coming in would have the other as their own private bank for the rest of the day.

The 2018 AIG Women's Open champion explained: "We had a little bet with each other with like five, six holes to play. I felt that we were getting a little stale, bored maybe.

"Yeah, it was just a long round. So I said to Charles going up 14, I was like, 'right, whoever makes the most birdies from now on has to pay for everything for the rest of the day', and I managed to get one on the last to beat her, so you're not happy, are you?"

To which Hull replied: "No, because I lipped out on every single hole coming in apart from the last."

Charlie Hull & Georgia Hall Flash Interview Friday 2024 Dow Championship © LPGA - YouTube

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The 28-year-old will deserve the European holiday she is set to take, especially after a stretch of excellent performances following her return from an injury caused by a fall in the shower.

That happened in July, shortly before she was forced to withdraw from the Aramco Team Series London. But, upon her return to action, Hull has gone fifth, T20th, T19th, T12th in LPGA Tour starts and first in her lone LET appearance.

Plus, the seven-time pro winner dominated World No.1 Nelly Korda in the Sunday singles at the Solheim Cup on her way to recording three points from five matches at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

Before Hull heads off on her break, though, she is set to compete at the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship next week.

The Englishwoman came into this week's event 52nd in the Race To CME Globe and would rise up the rankings with another strong result while consequently securing her spot at Tiburon Golf Club.

Only the top-60 LPGA Tour players will contest the $11 million event, with $4 million set aside for the season-long champion.