THE MODERATOR: All right, pleased to be joined by Charley Hull, defending champion of the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. In a new location this year, but back in Cincy. Talk about how it feels to be back in the city.
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, it feels kind of weird because it's like it was only like, I don't know, what, seven or eight months ago that we were here. So it's a real quick turnaround. I've got good memories of this place. I came like second I think it was like three years ago in 2023 as well, so I like the area.
Q. Then have you been able to check out the course at all? What are your first thoughts?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, played the golf course. Just come off the back nine. It's quite quirky. It's interesting. But there is a few like tricky little holes, fiddly holes out there.
Q. So far this season, had a pretty strong season: Four top 20s, a top 10 in a major. Can you just kind of talk about heading into the major season where you feel your game is at.
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, so I've had a win this year, had two Top 10s, and then top 15. And 17th was I think my first event, first one at the beginning of the year, and then missed two cuts.
But I feel like my game is in good shape. It's just like last week I missed the cut, but that was a couple of crazy pins positions that kind of screwed me. I finished bogey, bogey to miss the cut.
But yeah, I feel like my game is in a good trending right direction. Like I feel pretty confident.
Q. As you were checking out the course and practicing the course, so this course has No. 9 and No. 18 are both par-3 finishes. There is a few events on the LPGA Tour that have that. Talk about a par-3 finish on the LPGA Tour.
CHARLEY HULL: I kind of like it because when you come up 17 you're kind of thinking, oh, I'm basically there. I've not got a long hole to walk. Walk to the 18th hole -- 18th green and it's just a par-3 and I'm in the clubhouse and can chill.
But it's quite interesting, because obviously you haven't got to worry about a drive, a nerve-wracking drive. It's a pretty simple par-3. You just got get the club right.
Q. You've had success here in Cincinnati all at different courses. What is it about Cincinnati and these courses that fit your eye?
CHARLEY HULL: I kind of like a golf course that I can see ahead of me. I don't really like blind tee shots. My favorite course is Aronimink because I like that you can see the fairway and see the rough and then the trees. I kind of like them kind of golf courses and couple of like golf courses round here are kind of similar, like kind of English kind of feel.
Q. Charley, what was the highlight? What do you remember about your victory last year?
CHARLEY HULL: Oh, my highlight. I don't know, just winning. It was just nice to get it over the line, especially after snapping my ankle like seven weeks before that. So it was just nice to not come out with any expectations and just play golf and won.
I play a lot better though when I don't put pressure on me golf. Like when I'm at home I practice very, very hard, and sometimes I feel like I get too golf obsesses. I noticed a lot of my wins have come from times when I've just not really expected anything from myself.
Q. What are your expectations for yourself this week?
CHARLEY HULL: Well, I want to come and defend it obviously, but I'm not going to be try and be too golf obsessed. Just go out and enjoy myself.
Q. You mentioned your ankle. How are you feeling physically coming into this week?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I feel good. It's just annoying because I can't really get back to running or anything like that. So it is quite annoying and it quite a lot of -- it's quite hard managing my ankle, because it wasn't just my ankle. I know I tore the ligament in my ankle and snapped it but then it affected my back and everything as well. So it wasn't just that. It was kind of like a snowball affect, so it was quite annoying. And it's quite annoying sometimes because when the temperature drops I notice sometimes like I do find it harder to swing.
But oh, well.
Q. With all you had to deal with with all the injuries and illnesses, do you feel like it affected you more physically or mentally or how are you handling that?
CHARLEY HULL: You just got to deal with it really, do you know what I mean? It's just part of life. I'm still living life, living a good life. It's just a little bump in the road, innit?
Q. What are the biggest differences from Maketewah to where you won last year at TPC Rivers Bend?
CHARLEY HULL: This is the most I would say hilliest flat golf course in the world. That's the best way to describe it. My caddie has been like blowing a bit going up the hills.
But I feel like all the golf courses in the area have a very similar feel to it. I think because of where this is six months or five months earlier on in the year it's not as firm as last year's golf course.
Q. What do you feel like you're going to have to do well around this golf course this week to be successful?
CHARLEY HULL: The rough can be kind of thick-ish in places, but not necessarily super thick. But for instance, like 17 you want to hit it in the fairway, because if you're in the rough you got to carry the bunkers and then you can't really go long because of the thick grass.
So got to be very precise and have good distance control.
Q. I've got kind of a random one back here. I saw you doing a Podcast with Stephen Malbon. He asked you obviously the classic question of who is in your fivesome. You said Albert Einstein.
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah.
Q. Can you expand on your love of science?
CHARLEY HULL: I've always been obsessed with science, history, and geography. For someone that left school when I was 11 years old I do know a hell of a lot about a lot of different random stuff.
Like I may not be the best at like spelling and everything, but I'm quite knowledgeable in certain aspects of life. It's quite interesting.
I just love stuff like that though. I find it fascinating. I just ordered a book actually about the stoics, stoicism and stuff. I find stuff like that amazing. Like how if it's not in your control you don't really have to worry about it. I feel like a lot of people should be more like that because they'll be a lot happier in life.
Q. So after winning the championship here last year, you finished 2025 with four straight top 20 finishes, including two Top 5s. Did this give you some motivation moving forward?
CHARLEY HULL: No. I feel like the British Open, Women's British Open gave me my motivation going forward. I come in second that week, and then obviously I was playing home the week after that as well in the PIF London, and I had to pull out because of my ankle.
So I went from a massive high to a massive low, and then I tested playing this week, the week before at Aramco in Houston on the Ladies European Tour. I come second then, so I was kind of like oh, this is good, and then I won here. So I was just on a bit of a roll.
Q. So since you're returning as defending champion, I want to know, are you using that -- you said this on the Par-3 Podcast, shy kids --
CHARLEY HULL: -- don't get sweets.
Q. Yes. Using that mentality for this tournament?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, 100%. I try and use it every day in life to be fair. Like you don't ask, you don't get, and if you don't go for it, you're not going to get it, do you know what I mean:
So just trying to live life like that really. That's the way I've always done it.
Q. This is a little bit off topic, but you definitely won a lot of fans over here just by being yourself. I want to know has our local cuisine, like Skyline Chili and Graeter's Ice Cream, has that won you over?
CHARLEY HULL: What is it? Sorry?
Q. Skyline Chili. Have you had a chance to --
CHARLEY HULL: No, I haven't. Is it an ice cream?
Q. Ice cream and a chili place.
CHARLEY HULL: Oh, okay, chili.
Q. It's not what you would normally expect. It's like a sweet chili.
CHARLEY HULL: Oh, can't eat -- I've not got a sweet tooth. I think if I'm having a breakfast, I'm not having bacon and eggs with maple syrup. I am having either bacon? And eggs or I'm having maple syrup and pancakes. I can't mix the both. I look at people weird in the player's lounge when they have the bacon and eggs there and they've got fruit on the side.
It's either one or the other.
Q. I have a little bit of a fun question: So you had coined the nickname Smokin' Charley Hull obviously. I don't know if you've seen this. How do you feel about the change to Lip-in Charley Hull?
CHARLEY HULL: Yeah, I quite like that. Better than lipping out. I don't want to be lipping out on putts.
Q. My name is Ellise Rymer. I'm a sponsor's invite this week. I'm making my LPGA debut. What advice do you have for someone like me?
CHARLEY HULL: You from England?
Q. Yeah.
CHARLEY HULL: Where in England?
Q. Lincolnshire?
CHARLEY HULL: Oh, Licolnshire, up north. Just go out and enjoy it. Obviously you want to do well. Just have the mindset of coming into this event and I know this will sound weird, random because you're a sponsor invite, but you want to try and win it obviously. Otherwise you wouldn't be playing in it.
Q. Yeah.
CHARLEY HULL: Just go out there and if you have a bad hole or a bad start, just think, right, I've got to bounce back now. I -- some of my best tournaments have come from starting double bogey, bogey. Not putting that in your head, but I bounced back from it and kind of just used it as a fight-back.
And then if you get off to a good start, just your nerves calm and take everything in and enjoy it and try and learn from players and stuff and just watch them. If you get a chance watch Nelly on the range, because she's striping it at the minute, obviously and I need to watch her, too. Take a page out of her book.
Literally go out there and have fun, and if you need anything, just ask me.
THE MODERATOR: Perfect. Thank you, Charley.
CHARLEY HULL: All right, thanks.
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