Charley Hull faced criticism following a prank she played on her caddie, Adam Woodward, on the eve of the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes. Hull, a professional golfer ranked seventh in the world, used a fake scratchcard purchased from a joke shop to trick Woodward into believing he had won £100,000. She recorded his reaction, which showed initial elation followed by disappointment when he realized the prize was not real.
The stunt sparked mixed reactions, with some viewers finding the prank humorous, while others expressed strong disapproval on social media. A tweet by a golf journalist sharing the video attracted millions of views and hundreds of critical comments. Critics described the prank as mean-spirited, given Woodward’s long-standing professional relationship with Hull as her caddie.
Hull responded firmly to the backlash, urging detractors to “lighten up” and emphasizing that Woodward himself found the incident funny. “He’s not uptight,” she said, adding she would gladly do a similar prank again. Hull also acknowledged feeling some sympathy for Woodward but maintained the prank was meant in good spirits and part of keeping the mood light. She promised to compensate him by buying 100 genuine scratchcards after the tournament. Woodward downplayed any hard feelings, calling the prank “pretty funny” and indicating plans for his own retribution.
On the course, Hull started the tournament with a two-under-par 69, placing her in contention but trailing the early leader, Atthaya “Jeeno” Thitikul of Thailand. Thitikul shot a bogey-free 64, the lowest score in the first round at Royal Lytham & St Annes and the best by any player in the history of the Women’s Open at this venue. Thitikul, known for her consistency with 11 major top-10 finishes since 2021, is seeking her first major victory. She previously won the Women’s Open as a top amateur at Lytham in 2018.
Close behind Thitikul is South Korean golfer Haeran Ryu, who posted a five-under 66. Ryu is aiming to become one of a select few women to win three consecutive major championships, having taken titles earlier this year at the PGA and Evian Championships. However, she downplayed expectations, noting the challenging nature of the links course and the remaining holes to play.
English golfer Lottie Woad also made headlines, finishing her first round at three under par with a 69. Woad avoided all of Lytham’s 174 bunkers during her round and used an aggressive driving strategy, highlighting her rise in the world rankings.
The tournament continues with several leading contenders vying for the title amid challenging course conditions and strong performances. Meanwhile, Hull’s prank remains a talking point, illustrating the balance athletes sometimes try to strike between lightheartedness and maintaining professional decorum during major sporting events.