“Shy kids don’t get sweets.”
That’s what Charley Hull told her caddie from the fairway of Pebble Beach’s iconic par-5 finishing hole as she looked to pull off a miraculous comeback Sunday at the U.S. Women’s Open. Hull’s drive had ended up behind the cypress tree that stands tall in the middle of the fairway, giving her only a small window to hit a drawing 3-wood under its branches.
Thinking she was down three shots to leader Allisen Corpuz – moments earlier Corpuz birdied No. 15 to move to 10 under, four clear of Hull – Hull figured she’d need a closing eagle to give Corpuz something to think about over the final few holes.
“I’m not playing for second place,” Hull said, “so I said, do I get sweets … it means like I’ve got to go and take it.”
Hull said she didn’t hesitate pulling 3-wood as she took on a similar shot to that of Tiger Woods in the second round of the 2010 U.S. Open. Woods had 273 yards left for his second shot, about 10 yards farther back than Hull, and he hit a big cut with fairway metal onto the green to set up a two-putt birdie.
Full-field scores from the U.S. Women’s Open
Hull, however, couldn’t quite reach the green, her tight draw ending up curving into the left bunker that lines the final third of the hole. She then hit a 35-yard bunker shot to 11 feet and missed the birdie putt to wrap up a 6-under and finish at 6 under, eventually three shots shy of Corpuz’s winning total but also good enough to take home a share of second, equaling her best career major finish.
Shy kids don't get sweets. 🍭
— U.S. Women's Open (USGA) (@uswomensopen) July 10, 2023
A shot and a conversation to remember from @HullCharley at Pebble Beach. #USWomensOpen pic.twitter.com/SVFijjyYee
“I just trapped a 3-wood, hit a great shot,” said Hull, who had quite the follow-through, too, in which she dropped down to one knee. “[The ball] just rolled into that left bunker, but it was a good golf shot. It was a shame because I hit a good tee shot straight at that tree, but I didn’t think it was going to end right behind it. … At home I always played the aggressive shot. It’s paid off once in a while.”
Just not on this Sunday.
But hey, at least she earned some candy.
