Charley Hull produced one of the best displays the Solheim Cup has ever seen with her stunning win over Nelly Korda.
Team Europe needed inspiration from somewhere to fight back against the USA in the Sunday singles at the Solheim Cup.
The hosts led the Europeans in a dramatic Solheim Cup in Virginia 10-6 heading into the final day, but Hull certainly gave them hope.
She dominated the world number one from the very first moment of their meeting, going on to clinch a 6&4 win.
Korda messaged Hull after the match, although the superb performance from the latter was not enough to help Europe pick up all the points they needed to retain the title.
Rick Shiels annoyed by golf media after Charley Hull’s Solheim Cup heroics
Hull’s teammate Georgia Hall also picked up a fine 4&3 win over Alison Lee, but in between those European successes, the USA’s Megan Khang helped put red on the board by beating Emily Pedersen 6&5.
It was, however, Hull’s phenomenal success over world number one Korda that unsurprisingly dominated the Sunday headlines.
Rick Shiels has, however, been left frustrated by how the golf media have portrayed the victor, saying on The Rick Shiels Golf Show: “I am frustrated with this, is this thing with Charley Hull and smoking. We get it Charley Hull smokes, it’s fine, each to their own.
“But Golf Digest yesterday put on a picture of Charley Hull who has just beaten Nelly Korda six and four [with a cigarette]. It says job done, Charley Hull smokes Nelly Korda.
“That is a really cool picture. If that was from 1970’s in black and white, that would look like a cool picture. And again I have no problem with the smoking, what she does in her own time, I don’t mind. I just don’t think it should be glorified.
“My daughters had Charley Hull as this superhero, I was explaining to them that she had just beaten Nelly Korda, the best player on the planet, how cool is that? Now for 15 year old kids and girls on Instagram and they were like ‘oh there’s Charley Hull that really cool golfer who has just beaten Nelly Korda, oh she smokes that is quite cool’.
“I just don’t like it. I am a bit disappointed in the golf media. I think we should be celebrating that she beat the best golfer in the world six and four, rather than the smoking.”
Charley Hull hands Nelly Korda her biggest ever Solheim Cup defeat
Hull’s smoking was always going to draw attention at the Solheim Cup, particularly after she borrowed a lighter from a spectator in a practice round in Virginia.
But her display over Korda should undoubtedly be the main talking point, with the English star storming past arguably the best female golfer on the planet at this moment in time.
Korda ranks number one on the LPGA Tour for the likes of scoring average per round, birdie percentage and official money among various other statistics.
The American star boasts six wins for the season and eight top-10s, in a season somewhat comparable to what Scottie Scheffler has done on the PGA Tour.
But Hull didn’t give Korda an inch in Virginia, with the former condemning the latter to her largest career Solheim Cup defeat.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
