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Charley Hull took four chips en route to a nine after putting off the green at the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open.
The nightmare unfolded on the par-5 fifth hole at Dundonald Links. The popular Englishwoman tried to chase a hybrid onto the green from 255 but came out of it early and found the rough. She then pitched on to about 15 feet for birdie.
“It’s one of those greens where it could go anywhere,” said on-course reporter Sophie Walker as Hull settled into her birdie putt.
Moments later, Hull’s ball had rolled off the green.
Hull stood still as the first chip rolled back to her feet.
“This is now turning into a nightmare,” said Richard Kaufman from the booth as the broadcast crew discussed the fifth’s tricky hole location.
After Hull hit the same shot with the same results, she switched to a different club as it was noted that she needed less loft.
After two more chips, the announcers had lost count of Hull’s score as she faced the same putt, slightly shorter, coming back.
Mercifully, she made that one for a quadruple-bogey nine.
Hull made only one birdie in an opening 78.
Notorious for not enjoying links golf, 30-year-old Hull said on Wednesday she'd had a mindset shift.
"Just kind of got out of my head that links doesn't suit me," she said, "and just try and make it suit me."
With the fifth major of the year coming up next week at Royal Lytham, the Open rota links course that Laura Davies considers to be the toughest, Hull’s short memory will come in handy after Thursday’s debacle.
Hull, who played alongside world No. 1 Nelly Korda and defending champion Lottie Woad in the first round at Dundonald, took a share of second last year at the AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Porthcawl in Wales.
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek covering the LPGA and all things women's golf.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Charley Hull chips four times en route to a nine at Scottish Open
