The English player, ranked 10th in the world, sank a 1.80-meter putt on hole 18 for the last of her six birdies at the home of golf, reaching a score of 67 (5 under par) and taking a one-stroke lead after the first round of the fifth and final major of the year.

Hull are aiming for their first major title and have plenty of high-profile company at the top of the rankings.

Last but not least, her playing partner, the top-ranked Nelly Korda, who played a birdie on hole 17 – the famous Road Hole – and also on hole 18, thus drawing level with major winner Ruoning Yin, also from China, on 4 under par.

Defending champion Lilia Vu was also one stroke behind, making two monster birdie putts in her round of 69 on the first nine holes of the Old Course, which is hosting the Women’s British Open for the third time.

Some were just glad to have survived it.

“These were definitely the toughest conditions I’ve ever played in,” said England’s Georgia Hall, the 2018 champion, who made an eagle on her final hole – No. 9 – and shot a 71.

Hall is the last British player to win her home major and now her close friend is aiming to do the same.

As Hull walked down the final hole, the wind had died down and she looked cool in her sunglasses as she waved to spectators on the fairway. She would be a popular winner, not least because of her approach and attitude.

Not to mention her aggressive style of playing golf.

Hull was regularly the one who hit the longest driver in the top group, which also included Korda and Vu; one tee shot – on the 14th – went 304 meters.

She was par after a bogey on the eighth hole, but managed five birdies in her final 10 holes. She hit a 12-foot putt on the 12th hole and an 8-foot putt on the 15th to join Yin in the lead before Hull played the last one – that glorious hole back to town – perfectly, driving to the front of the green, hitting the second to 6 feet and making no mistake on the putt.

Hull was a little worried as he watched the early starters on television in the worst of the wind.

“I told my coach it feels like they could call it off at any moment because I don’t know how the balls are going to stay on the green,” said Hull, who finished second at last year’s British Open, six strokes behind Vu.

“You know what it’s going to be like before the round starts, so you prepare yourself mentally beforehand.”

That was half the battle on a tough day.

Korda, who won his second major title with the Chevron Championship while the American had a dominant year in 2024, enjoyed the hard work in the end.

“It’s fun to play under these conditions,” she said, adding, “Not that I would do it every time.”

Yin, ranked number 6 in the world and winner of the Women’s PGA Championship last year, took the whole thing in her stride.

“The conditions were tough, but that’s the same for everyone,” she said. “You just have to try to make the wind your friend.”

Vu shared fourth place with Jenny Shin and Mi Hyang Lee of South Korea, Andrea Lee of the United States, Patty Tavatanakit of Thailand and Mao Saigo of Japan.