Charley Hull makes surprising confession before £4million Saudi opportunity

Charley Hull will return to action at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, but the world No.11 has admitted that her focus is not solely on the event in Riyadh.

English star Charley Hull is set to return to golf action – but she has admitted that her real passion currently lies away from the course. The 28-year-old, born in Kettering, won the Aramco Team Series in Riyadh this past November.

She’s returning to Saudi Arabia this week to begin her Ladies European Tour season with a potential victory at the PIF Saudi Ladies International following the offseason. Despite boasting an impressive streak of eight consecutive top-20 spots, Hull has confessed her focus isn’t solely on mastering the greens.

The event has a £3.9million total prize pot, equal to the men’s winnings. However, even with the substantial paydays on offer, Hull has revealed that she doesn’t train her golf skills and concentrates more on setting a 5k run personal best.

“My main goal actually isn’t on the golf course,” Hull said to Sky Sports. “I want to try and get my 5k run time down to 20 minutes by the end of the year. It’s around 26 minutes at the moment.

“I don’t train in golf. I have zero interest in training in golf. I don’t want to just be a golfer. I want to be an athlete. I train because it’s good for my mental health and it’s good for me. I just enjoy it as a hobby.”

Despite her broader interests, Hull will still be a formidable contender at the PIF Saudi Ladies International, which offers a substantial prize fund of £3.9m. The competition starts with a team event promising a grand prize of £111,000, followed by the individual tournament where the winner stands to gain £536,000.