Charley Hull competed at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California, from June 4-7, marking her return to the tournament where she previously gained viral attention, this time as a cigarette-free golfer after winning a significant personal bet.
Quick Facts
- Hull made a £10,000 bet in March 2025 to quit smoking for two months
- By May 2025, she had gone six weeks without cigarettes using nicotine pouches
- She described quitting as “the easiest thing I’ve ever done”
- The 2026 U.S. Women’s Open was held at Riviera Country Club for the first time in the tournament’s history
Hull’s journey to this moment began with a viral incident at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, when she was photographed smoking a cigarette while signing autographs. The image gained widespread attention and she gained approximately 70,000 Instagram followers overnight, though her T19 finish was overshadowed by the smoking footage.
In March 2025, Hull agreed to the £10,000 bet with Ryan Evans at Sunningdale Golf Club as a way to commit to quitting smoking. By May 2025, she had successfully gone six weeks without cigarettes and reported using nicotine pouches to manage cravings. She won the bet by July 2025, marking a significant personal achievement after years of smoking as a way to manage stress and ADHD-related anxiety.
Charley Hull competes at U.S. Women’s Open in California after cigarette-free season
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Hull’s return to competitive golf cigarette-free represents a major shift from her previous approach to tournament play. The English golfer had previously stated that smoking was part of her routine and that removing it during competition would be a significant change. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she noted that the smoking ban at Olympic venues would affect her performance, highlighting how integral the habit had been to her game.
Sources
- Yahoo Sports — Reported Hull’s £10,000 bet in March 2025, her six-week cigarette-free streak by May 2025, and her description of quitting as “the easiest thing I’ve ever done”
- Fox News (OutKick) — Confirmed Hull’s participation in the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club and noted she was cigarette-free during her first round
- U.S. Women’s Open Official Site — Confirmed the 2026 tournament dates (June 4-7) and location at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California
