How a cigarette turned Charley Hull into a cult hero at U.S. Women’s Open

charley hull smokes a cigarette during the 2024 u.s. women’s open

Charley Hull quickly became a fan favorite at Lancaster Country Club.

Getty Images

LANCASTER, Pa. — Charley Hull stood next to the rope line left of the 18th green in the final round of the U.S. Women’s Open and looked back down the fairway. Her ball rested safely 10 feet below the hole, but her playing partner, Jenny Shin, wasn’t so fortunate. After catching the lip of a fairway bunker with her approach, Shin still had 121 yards of baked-out turf between her ball and the hole.

As Shin and her caddie deliberated over how best to play the shot, a fan called out to Hull. Can I get a picture with you? The 28-year-old from Northamptonshire, England, obliged, posing for a selfie with the fan. Another request soon followed. Then another. And another. Hull eventually had to step away from the rope line. She still had a birdie look after all.

The putt didn’t drop, but that didn’t dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm. As Hull walked from the 18th green to the scoring tent, where she’d sign for a closing three-under 67 that will secure her a top-20 finish, fans showered her with praise. We love you Charley! Way to go! In just a week, Hull had gone from a relative unknown among casual golf fans to a cult hero among the eastern Pennsylvania galleries and far beyond.

And it all started with a cigarette.

On Tuesday morning, Hull exited the player dining area and walked toward the range. As she walked across the practice area, searching for a place to hit, she pulled a cigarette from her pack and lit up. She took a drag, puffed the smoke into the air and continued down the range.

A group of autograph-seeking children shouted out to her. Can you please sign this?! Hull didn’t hesitate, strolling over to the gaggle of youngsters, Sharpie in hand. All the while, her lit cigarette dangled from her lips.

A GOLF.com camera was rolling at the time, filming unrelated content on the practice tee. As soon as Hull began her autograph session, though, our camera caught what soon would become a viral moment.

It didn’t take long for the video to gain momentum. As users shared and re-shared the clip, the views piled up. By week’s end, the post had earned nearly 50,000 likes and 2.3 million impressions (and counting).

“It’s actually quite funny,” Hull said Sunday afternoon. “All over a cigarette, I suppose.”

Publications ranging from the New York Post to BroBible shared the footage, as did popular social media accounts such as Barstool Sports and Zire Golf.

Hull was quickly anointed the “female John Daly” in a nod to the long-hitting, Marlboro-smoking two-time major winner. But while Daly drinks dozens of Diet Cokes a day and scoffs at the idea of lifting weights, Hull has an otherwise healthy lifestyle. Scroll through her Instagram account and you’ll see post after post of her working out and eating clean.