Charley Hull Shocks LPGA with Last-Hole Birdie: Highlights & Reactions

Charley Hull ignited the opening round of the Grant Thornton Invitational at Tiburón Golf Club in Naples, Florida, partnering PGA Tour rookie Michael Brennan to shoot a blistering 17-under-par 55 that tied Lexi Thompson and Wyndham Clark for the tournament lead and set a new event scoring record. Power Pairing Dominates Scramble Format Hull and Brennan birdied or eagled 13 consecutive holes, surrendering just three pars all day. Brennan—an emergency replacement for Daniel Berger—repaid Hull’s confidence with precision wedges, while Hull’s trademark aggression off the tee routinely left flip-wedge approaches. “I was changing my swing last week and couldn’t even keep the ball on the planet, so I was pretty nervous—but it worked out pretty well,” Hull laughed afterward. Record Falls on Perfect Scoring Day The mixed-team event, co-sanctioned by the LPGA and PGA Tours, had never seen a 55 before; Friday’s perfect conditions produced two. Thompson and U.S. Open champion Clark matched Hull and Brennan’s mark by birdieing or eagling nine of their last ten holes, setting up a weekend duel between the sport’s biggest cross-tour stars. Leaderboard Snapshot After Round 1 • T-1: Charley Hull/Michael Brennan –17 (55) • T-1: Lexi Thompson/Wyndham Clark –17 (55) • 3: Lauren Coughlin/Andrew Novak –15 (57) • T-4: Rose Zhang/Michael Kim, Nelly Korda/Denny McCarthy, Jennifer Kupcho/Chris Gotterup –14 (58) Format Twist: Foursomes Saturday Saturday switches to alternate-shot foursomes, historically the toughest scoring day; only one ball is in play, demanding laser-sharp teamwork. Sunday’s finale returns to a modified four-ball, adding another layer of strategy as teams chase the $4 million purse and equal-pay spotlight. Hull’s Momentum in Career Context The 27-year-old Englishwoman has finished runner-up in two majors over the past 18 months and entered the week ranked No. 8 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. A victory here would cap a breakthrough season that already includes top-five finishes at the U.S. Women’s Open and AIG Women’s Open, reinforcing her status as Britain’s premier female golfer. How to Watch • Saturday, Round 2 Foursomes: Live from 7 p.m. ET on Golf Channel and Sky Sports Golf. • Sunday, Final Round: 1 p.m.–4 p.m. ET simulcast on NBC and Peacock (U.S.) and Sky Sports Golf (U.K.). What’s Next If Hull and Brennan survive Saturday’s notoriously volatile alternate-shot, they could enter the final day with history—and a share of the $1 million winner’s check—within reach. With record scoring already in the books, expect more fireworks as the LPGA-PGA partnership continues to redefine mixed professional golf.