Charley Hull Rides Solheim Cup Success (and exemption into LPGA Q-school this fall) Into 2013 CN Canadian Women’s Open

Charley Hull (click to enlarge)

The last time we saw Charley Hull, she soundly defeated LPGA Major winner Paula Creamer 5 & 4 at the 2013 Solheim Cup. To be fair, the Pink Panther didn’t really play so badly. Charley Hull was just on that day. The precocious 17-year old was the youngest player in Solheim history. Boy, did she ever live up to advance billing. In her first match, paired with Catriona Matthew in Friday’s fourball, she lost a tough match to Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie, 2 & 1. However, Hull bounced back in Saturday afternoon fourball, teaming with fellow English player Jodi Ewart Shadoff to take out Paula Creamer and Lexi Thompson, 2 up. That was the match with the controversial conceded putt shout out from a caddie while Paula was over her ball. Charley ended her 2-1-0 rookie Solheim Cup with the completely unexpected singles victory over Creamer. In match play, anything can happen. Paula is still…well, Paula. But lower ranked players can beat a higher ranked player in match play. Happens all the time whenever the pros have a match play event. It’s the 5 & 4 that was so shocking.

Charley Hull (click to enlarge)

We’ll see how Charley performs in her first event after that Solheim success. If big things were expected from her before Team Europe’s win, the bar now raises to an even greater height. I will say, let’s all take a step back. Let her develop without the weight of too much expectation. She caught lightning in a bottle against Creamer. That doesn’t make her better than Creamer. Like I said before, anything can happen in match play. A lot of Team USA’s players had a Solheim to forget. They will all bounce back and show why they are among the best players in the world.