'Proud of myself'

Charley Hull arrived at the AIG Women’s Open expecting to head home at the halfway stage – she left disappointed but defiant after her latest major near-miss.

The 29-year-old mounted a stunning weekend charge at Royal Porthcawl and got to within a shot of the lead on Sunday afternoon to give her vocal fans around the fairways plenty to cheer.

Back-to-back bogeys at 16 and 17 ultimately ended her chances of glory and she shared second place with Minami Katsu, two shots behind Champion Miyu Yamashita.

It marked the fourth time Hull has finished in the runners-up spot at a major but given her far from ideal build-up, it was a performance she could reflect on with plenty of pride.

“Coming into this week, I didn't think I was going to make the cut,” she said. “That's the truth of it.

“I wasn't hitting it very well. I couldn't prepare as well as I wanted to because I was poorly. I obviously collapsed three times in the round at the Evian (Championship), and then still wasn't feeling well until Sunday last week.

“I think I did pretty well, and considering my mindset coming into it, I'm pretty proud of myself.”

In the cold light of day, Hull may reflect on her opening round and wonder what might have been.

An early double bogey, then four consecutive bogeys down the stretch, saw her card a one-over par 73 which gave her a mountain to climb.

The fact she came close to scaling it illustrates the quality she displayed from thereon in.

Saturday’s 66 was sublime and for a spell on Sunday, it looked as though Hull was building similar momentum.

She attacked the par-3s with gusto, carding birdies at 5, 8 and 12, while a 25-footer at the 14^th was the moment it appeared she may yet achieve what no-one has done before and come from more than 10 shots back after 36 holes to win a women’s major.

Though she fell short, she had no regrets at how her fateful holes played out.

“I really enjoyed it out there,” she said. “I felt so in control of my game.

“It's not like I whiffed a drive or whiffed a shot. I hit a good shot on 16. I hit it pure and the wind didn't take it.

“And then 17 I've hit a lovely shot into the green. It's so hard to hold that green. I don't know how you can physically, it's a lot of luck.

“Whether you hit it between five feet or 40 feet, you can hit the same shot and it can land in two different positions.

“And then obviously I missed that putt, but I hit it on the line. I didn't mis-strike it or anything.

“I don't feel like I've actually mucked it up by mis-hitting any shots. I played so solid.”

Unlike Hull’s previous AIG Women’s Open second place, at Walton Heath two years ago, she spent the final day playing catch-up rather than among the leading pack.

It is a position she enjoys and she did not get carried away even as she closed the gap – despite the bubbling atmosphere.

“I didn't look at one leaderboard all the way around,” she said. “I didn't even know when I was coming up to the last hole whether I was in front or where I was.

“All I was thinking today was just one shot at a time. Hit that shot there. Cool, that's done. Hit that shot there. Cool, that's done.

“I want to take that mindset more, like when I won in 2016 at the TOUR Championship. I didn't look at a leaderboard until the last hole. I think it's a good mindset.

“I felt pretty confident out there. I felt goosebumps when I holed that birdie putt on 14. It was really good.”