Charley Hull gets permission from captain to smoke at Solheim Cup

Charley Hull is set to face world number one Nelly Korda in the opening round of the Solheim Cup, which begins Friday in Virginia. Hull, who will partner with German rookie Esther Henseleit in the morning foursomes, will be the first to tee off at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

In a unique twist, Hull has been granted permission to smoke on the course during the competition. This comes after she drew attention at the US Women’s Open in June, where videos of her smoking circulated, leading the American media to dub her the “female John Daly.” Hull, who was banned from smoking during the Olympics, has previously acknowledged her habit, saying, “I do smoke on the course. It’s a habit, something I do.”

Team Europe captain Suzanne Pettersen downplayed the attention on Hull’s smoking, stating, “She’s having a ball. Charley’s old enough to make those decisions.” Pettersen also highlighted Hull’s eagerness, saying, “It’s nice to get Charley going; she doesn’t like to sit around and wait. And she’s interacted well with the home fans here this week.”

Hull has been a prominent figure in the Solheim Cup since making her debut at 17 in Denver 11 years ago, when Europe won the trophy on U.S. soil for the first time. Now, Team Europe is aiming to make history by securing their fourth consecutive victory, something no side has achieved in the 35-year history of the competition.

However, Hull faces a formidable challenge against Korda, who has dominated this year with six wins in seven events.