'Hull overcomes Olympics setback for Women's Open bid'

Charley Hull finished as runner up to Lilia Vu at the 2023 Women's Open

Britain's Charley Hull is a rare European hope for this week's AIG Women's Open at St Andrews having seemingly turned a corner since her disastrous opening 81 at the Olympics earlier this month.

The 28-year-old from Kettering played the remaining three rounds at Le Golf National at eight-under par meaning that only a half-decent start might have put her in medal contention.

Hull then eased concerns over her relative lack of links form with an encouraging display at the Scottish Open at Dundonald last week.

While not getting ahead of herself, she is now dreaming of a first major victory at the home of golf.

To do that, she needs to go one better than last year's runner-up finish to Lilia Vu at Walton Heath.

"It would be very special, it would be amazing," she told BBC Sport after feeling "goosebumps" while walking up the famous 18th in practice.

Hull says she will rely on her caddie Adam Woodward to give her instructions on "tight lines" to combat the discomfiting influences of the Old Course's often deceptively wide open views.

Hull has also worked on lower ball flights to combat expected strong winds. They worked well in Ayrshire last week, fuelling confidence for her tilt on the course where she first competed as a raw teenager in 2013.

"I’ve always said that as I get more mature with my golf game, I will understand it more and play better," Hull said. "Last week coming fifth has given me a little bit of an insight into how I play links golf, which is good."

Solheim firmly on the mind

Next month, the world’s 10th-ranked woman will play her seventh Solheim Cup with most of her prospective European teammates struggling for the form required for the continent to retain the trophy for an unprecedented fourth time in a row.

Memories go back to 2021, when Anna Nordqvist thrillingly won at Carnoustie.

She led a European charge that carried through to arguably the continent's greatest Solheim Cup success.

The Swede edged out compatriot Madelene Sagstrom and Britain's Georgia Hall, with Dane Nanna Koerstz Madsen also posting a top-five finish on the Angus links.

Europe’s then-captain Catriona Matthew hailed these results as the perfect confidence booster before her team went to Toledo, without any support because of Covid restrictions, and sensationally retained the trophy.

This week, the current skipper Suzann Pettersen is desperate for a similar showing to bolster hopes of retaining that precious piece of cut crystal.

With the European and American teams being finalised next week for September’s showdown in Virginia, it is impossible not to view events here without the Solheim in mind.

For Pettersen, there must be concern. Europe's leading player is world number eight Celine Boutier, but despite a brilliant start to the Olympic competition, the Frenchwoman is some way off her best.

She has not posted a top-10 placing since finishing runner-up at the World Championship in March.

Hall has fallen to 40th in the world with only one top 10 this year - third at the Aramco Series event at Centurion Club in July. The 2018 champion from Dorset was 12th last week, which does offer a measure of encouragement.

But Maja Stark, a hero in the drawn match at Finca Cortesin last year, missed the cut at Dundonald and the Swede's share of 10th in Paris is her only top-10 placing since April.

Leona Maguire is another who is struggling despite winning the Aramco event. Since then, the Irish Solheim star has failed to post a top-50 placing in four tournaments.

Spaniard Carlota Ciganda has not recorded a high finish since coming sixth in April's Chevron Championship, while Sagstrom has no top-10 placings since May.

Bucking the trend in this miserable summer for leading Europeans is Germany's Esther Henseleit. She is nailed on for a Solheim debut in Virginia after collecting Olympic silver and then the runner-up spot at Dundonald.

Perfect time for Ko post Paris

Last week, Henseleit was beaten by Lauren Coughlin, the American who will be making her first Solheim appearance as the standout player of the summer.

This has been the 31-year-old's breakthrough season, winning the Scottish Open for her second LPGA Tour victory in three tournaments. Coughlin only cracked the top 50 for the first time when she finished fourth at the Evian Championship in July.

She is one of the favourites this week but the same can be said of a resurgent Vu, who missed much of the season with injury.

The US star will relish her title defence, although the Old Course will present a significantly different test to Walton Heath 12 months ago.

World number one Nelly Korda won six events in seven outings earlier this season, including the Chevron - the first major of the year. But her form has cooled significantly since then.

This would surely be the perfect way for Olympic gold medal winner Lydia Ko - a New Zealander so unburdened by Solheim concerns - to follow up her extraordinary Paris victory.

Others to watch include: Amy Yang, Hannah Green, Yin Ruoning and Ayaka Furue - who are among several leading players reflecting the growing strength in depth of LPGA golf.

The Old Course will be a fascinating test. At 6,784 yards it will play 112 yards longer than in 2013 when the current US Solheim captain Stacy Lewis claimed a thrilling victory.

This historic layout will be set up 529 yards shorter than when Cameron Smith won the Open in 2022, but the women will hit from the same tees as the men on the first, ninth, 12th and 18th holes.

Given female hitting distances, we may see the unique strategic tests of the course in their best light. It will take excellent ball striking, supreme lag putting on the vast double greens and tactical nous to get the job done.

It seems destined to be a glorious way to end golf's major season.