For Charley Hull, the sting of another major championship slipping through her fingers was as sharp as a shank on the 72nd hole. The English star admitted her runner-up finish at the US Women’s Open was “pretty annoying” after a valiant comeback bid fell just short at Lancaster Country Club.
Hull, who began the final round five shots off the pace, electrified the Pennsylvania gallery with a blistering stretch of birdies that vaulted her into a share of the lead. But a bogey on the par-4 16th and a par-saving effort that came up one putt short on the 18th left her one stroke behind champion Yuka Saso. It marked Hull’s fifth top-10 finish in a major without her name on the trophy.
“It’s frustrating to be this close again,” Hull said, her voice tinged with resignation. “I felt like I had the game to win. I played some great golf out there, but it just wasn’t quite enough. Pretty annoying, to be honest.”
The 28-year-old has long been regarded as one of the most talented players on the LPGA Tour, yet her wait for a maiden major title continues. Since turning professional in 2014, she has earned 11 top-five finishes in majors but has yet to break through. Her final-round 68 at Lancaster was one of the low rounds of the day, but her short game let her down at the worst possible moment.
“I made a poor chip on 16 that cost me, and then I just couldn’t get the putt to drop on 18,” Hull explained. “You need every shot to be perfect in a major, and mine weren’t today. But I’ll keep knocking on the door.”
Hull’s quest for a major is now a decade old, and the missed opportunity in Pennsylvania only adds to the weight of expectation. With her ball-striking ability and fearless approach, the breakthrough still feels inevitable, but Hull knows better than anyone that the clock is ticking. “I just have to believe it will happen,” she said. “I’m not getting any younger, but I’m not getting worse either. I’ll be back.”