Hull shrugs off post-Solheim illness to charge into LPGA Tour title mix

Yuna Nishimura leads Yu Liu after the opening round of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship; England's Charley Hull and Lottie Woad both sit in early LPGA Tour contention; watch the second round live on Saturday from 9pm on Sky Sports+

>Charley Hull overcame post-Solheim Cup illness and a lack of pre-tournament practice to get within two shots of the early lead at the LPGA Tour’s Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.

>Hull, making her first start since featuring in Team Europe's Solheim Cup win in the Netherlands earlier this month, mixed seven birdies with one bogey during her opening-round 65 at Pinnacle Country Club.

>The Englishwoman, who revealed post-round she had tonsillitis during Europe's 15-13 victory over the United States, sits in tied-third on six under as Japan's Yuna Nishimura set the early pace.

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>Hull failed to take advantage of two of the three par fives but responded well to being over-par early in her round, posting three birdies in a five-hole stretch from the 13th before adding four more in a six-hole burst after the turn.

>"I felt like I played pretty solid," Hull said. "It was quite weird, last week at home I didn't hit a golf ball for like five days because I was bed-bound and I was so poorly.

>The Solheim Cup rivalry carries over 😂

Megan Khang had a few questions for Charley Hull after the first round in Arkansas pic.twitter.com/yRwUvo1SCs

>"After the Solheim Cup I had the flu, I had sickness and everything. I nearly pulled out of this week because I felt like I wasn't prepared enough! I came over to America on Saturday, had sponsor stuff up until Tuesday and got in here late Tuesday night.

>"It wasn't really the best prep, but actually I come in here with no expectations. I felt like I hit it pretty well tee-to-green and putted decent."

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>A final-hole eagle pushed Nishimura into a one-shot advantage over China's Yu Liu, who held the initial clubhouse lead after a bogey-free 64, while Hull is joined in the logjam on six under by Solheim Cup teammate Celine Boutier.

>England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff threatened a late run at the lead until two bogeys in her last three holes saw her post a five-under 66, with compatriots Lottie Woad and Caley McGinty also three back.

>"With it only being three rounds, you want to get off to a good to start and try and not drop too many shots," Woad explained. "If you hit a lot of greens like I did today then you're not going to make too many bogeys."

>Mimi Rhodes opened with a four-under 67 and Chiara Tamburlini - who narrowly missed out on Solheim Cup qualification - also lies four behind after a low-scoring opening day.

>Who will win the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship? Live coverage continues Saturday from 9pm on Sky Sports+. Get the latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract.

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