Charley Hull Defends Scratchcard Prank As Women’s Open Begins

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

Charley Hull used pre-tournament media duties at the Women's Open to respond to criticism over a prank on her caddie, Adam Woodward. According to The Guardian, Hull bought fake scratchcards from a Blackpool joke shop and used one to make Woodward believe he had won £100,000, filming his initial excitement and later disappointment.

What she said:

Hull's response, as reported by The Guardian, was direct: she said people needed to "lighten up" and refused to apologise for the incident. The confirmed story is about her reaction to backlash, not a rules issue, sanction, or tournament penalty. Nothing in the supplied source says the prank affected her eligibility or playing status.

Tournament context:

The timing matters because it landed on the eve of a major championship. Pre-tournament attention that would normally focus on course setup, form, pairings, and contenders instead shifted partly toward Hull's judgment and the relationship with her caddie. That does not decide the Women's Open, but it changes the media environment around one of the most visible players in the field.

Leaderboard note:

The Guardian's summary also gives early competitive context: Jeeno Thitikul led at seven under, while two-time major winner So Yeon Ryu was at five under. Those figures are important because they anchor the prank story inside the tournament rather than treating it as a standalone social-media controversy. Hull's comments may draw attention, but the championship already has a scoring picture forming at the top.

Why it matters:

For Hull, the practical question is whether the story remains external noise or follows her through the event. Golf majors are slow-burn tournaments where off-course scrutiny can linger across rounds, especially when the player involved keeps defending the action publicly. For fans, the useful distinction is simple: the controversy is confirmed, the backlash is confirmed, but any competitive effect is still unproven.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: Hull used a fake scratchcard prank on caddie Adam Woodward, the amount involved was £100,000, she filmed the reaction, she refused to apologise, Thitikul led on seven under, and Ryu was on five under. Follow-up is needed for Hull's round-by-round scoring, Woodward's own detailed response, and whether tournament officials or sponsors comment further.