AIG Women's Open: Charley Hull plays down rivalry with 'unbelievable' Nelly Korda ahead of fresh bid for major glory

Charley Hull has played down her rivalry with world No 1 Nelly Korda ahead of the AIG Women’s Open and admits it has ‘hurt’ to have suffered so many near-misses in majors.

The world No 7 is among the home hopes at Royal Lytham & St Annes aiming to become the first Englishwoman to win a major since 2018, when Georgia Hall claimed her breakthrough title at the same venue.

Hull has two runner-up finishes in three years at the AIG Women's Open among five seconds in majors, including to Korda at the US Women's Open in June.

Korda won the first two majors of the year and is expected to challenge for a fifth major title this week, with Hull quick to praise the American's achievements and reiterate her ambition to find an elusive major.

"I don't really see it as a rivalry at the minute, because no offence, Nelly [Korda] has got however many majors and I've got none," Hull said in her press conference. "I've got five second places.

"Let me get my major in first and then that's something we can think about in the future. "What Nelly is doing for the game of golf is unbelievable and so good to watch - she's a nice girl, as well.

"I just want to get over the line and win my first major. Five second-place finishes in majors kind of hurts. I remember looking at the posters walking in on the first day from last year and was like 'oh, I wish that was me' [with the trophy]."

Hull's runner-up finish at the US Women's Open is her only top-15 finish in her last seven starts, with the 30-year-old posting a tied-44th finish at the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open last week despite a quadruple-bogey nine during her opening round.

"It was me, but the pin shouldn't have been there," Hull said about the incident, where she saw a birdie putt roll off the green. "I texted the commissioner straight after the round.

"At the end of the day I know everyone f***s up, but the pin was about a yard from a massive slope and it was on a downslope going towards a slope.

"I've had a 12-foot putt for birdie and walk off with a nine. I had four chips up the slope, but I shouldn't have putted off the green. Just shows in fact that I'm human and even the world No so and so can make a nine.

"I thought it was a pretty good nine by the end of it. I holed a ten-foot putt - I think I even fist-bumped!"

Lottie Woad is the highest-ranked Englishwoman in the field and has set her sights on winning a 'dream' major title, having seen the last two AIG Women's Open at this venue won by British players.

"I think for any British player, this would be the dream one to win," the world No 5 said in her press conference. "I like playing links golf and I'm sure it'll be a good test with the wind probably, so definitely one that has always been my favourite watching. Yeah, would love to win it.

"We have got a lot more British and English players on the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour, and I have a lot of friends that are nearly turning pro or at the end stage of their amateur careers. I know there is a lot of good talent coming through - I think it [British golf] is in a great spot."

Woad has posted top-10 finishes in her previous two AIG Women's Open appearances and chases another strong showing in the final women's major of the year, ahead of a Solheim Cup debut for Team Europe this September.

"I think links golf is fun," Woad added. "It can be tricky, too. Definitely need a little bit of luck out there with some of the bounces and the wind. I enjoy playing this type of golf. I think because you only get to play a couple times a year, it makes it a bit more special to hit those different shots that you really wouldn't get to hit in the United States."

Sky Sports remains the exclusive home of the AIG Women's Open in the UK and Ireland, with Featured Groups coverage available for the first time and six hours more of live action on Sky Sports than ever before.

Featured Groups coverage begins at 9am on Thursday and Friday on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage getting under way at 1pm, with live coverage of rounds three and four then beginning at midday over the weekend.