Charley Hull has made it clear that the flurry of criticism surrounding her recent caddie prank does not affect her focus as she remains a strong contender in the AIG Women’s Open. After opening with a 69, Hull posted a level‑par 71 on Friday morning at Royal Lytham & St Annes, carding three birdies and three bogeys to sit two strokes under par heading into the weekend. Her performance keeps her firmly in the hunt for what could become her first major championship. The controversy began when Hull revealed, before the tournament started, that she had convinced her caddie, Adam "Adsy" Woodward, that he had won a £100,000 scratch‑card prize.
The prank was captured on video after Hull bought a novelty ticket from a Blackpool joke shop and showed it to Woodward, who believed the lie for a brief moment. Social media users quickly seized on the incident, questioning the appropriateness of the joke and accusing Hull of being unprofessional.
Hull, however, says the negative reaction has little impact on her game. She explained that her relationship with Woodward is more like that of a close sibling than a typical player‑caddie partnership. "He's like a big brother to me and one of my best friends," she said after her round. "We’re always joking around, and he thought the prank was brilliant.
He even laughed about it on camera. When people start posting harsh comments, I just tell them to lighten up." She added that humor is a personal thing and that her inner circle gets it, which is why she feels comfortable pulling such a stunt. "I don’t care if you don’t get my humour – my friends do, and that’s why they’re my friends. I wouldn’t do it to a stranger who might take it the wrong way," Hull said.
Hull also defended Woodward’s reputation as a prankster, noting that he is known for his playful nature among fellow caddies. "Adsy is the king of pranks. The other caddies pull even wilder tricks, and he just finds it hilarious," she said. "He even texted me saying this has been one of the funniest weeks of his life, so I think people need to stop writing negative comments and just chill." When asked how she deals with the backlash, Hull replied that criticism actually fuels her desire to improve.
"We live in a world where you can’t do anything without being judged, but that shouldn’t stop you from living your life," she said. "I’m used to banter at home – we’re always taking the mickey out of each other.
It’s how I was raised, and I think people need to develop thicker skin." Hull emphasized that being in the public eye inevitably invites scrutiny. "If you put yourself in the spotlight, you should expect comments, both good and bad," she noted. "Some people seem to look for sympathy, but I’m not struggling because of these remarks." She also called out the relative nature of the complaints, reminding critics that many people face far tougher challenges. "There are people far worse off than me, yet they’re the ones complaining about a joke," Hull said.
"If the worst thing in your life is someone’s opinion, you probably don’t have a very bad life. Grow a pair of balls and move on." On the practical side of the tournament, Hull admitted she had managed only about three hours of sleep before her second round. The Englishwoman, a five‑time major runner‑up who has finished second twice in the last three years at this event, said she was ready to push through the fatigue. "I’m really looking forward to the rest of the weekend.
It’s going to be a lot of fun," she said. "My nerves have settled, although my back was a little sore today, which affected my swing. Still, I’m not as far back as I was last year, and that gives me confidence." Hull’s determination to stay in contention despite the limited rest and the media storm underscores her mental resilience.
She plans to focus on her game, aiming to convert her strong position into a possible major victory. The AIG Women’s Open will continue with live coverage on Sky Sports, and fans can watch Hull’s progress throughout the weekend as she strives to add her name to the list of champions.