Charley Hull has a thing for golfers.
The English pro golfer, who went viral for having a cigarette in her mouth while signing autographs at the U.S. Women’s Open in May, opened up about her dating life during a recent interview with Daily Mail.
“I’ve dated guys who golf and guys who don’t,” the 28-year-old said.
“It’s definitely easier if they do because that’s my spare-time passion too. If they don’t play, it’s harder for us to connect. I’ve had a taste of high-profile relationships, but I didn’t love everything that came with it, so I’m steering clear of that for now.”
The two-time LPGA Tour champion and her ex-husband MMA fighter Ozzie Smith exchanged vows in 2019 but divorced two years later.
Hull, No.11 in the LPGA world rankings, is set to compete in the women’s individual golf competition at the Paris Games, begins on Wednesday.
After a seventh-place finish in Rio 2016 and a nonappearance at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games in 2021 — which she described as “the right thing to do at the time” — the British pro is excited to be in Paris.
“Being able to play in the Olympics is a dream,” she said. ‘I’m excited for that and also meeting new athletes that I may not have had the chance to meet.”
There’s no better place for the unattached athlete, who expressed she struggles with finding time to pursue relationships due to the demands of her golf career, than Olympic Village, which has jokingly been dubbed as “The Villa,” in reference to the reality dating show “Love Island.”
“With all the practice and travel I do, my time is seriously limited,” said Hull, who recently joined the new dating app Rizz.
“Finding time to meet new people and really get to know them is tough. Anyone I connect with has to be cool with that and able to build a real bond over FaceTime and texts,” she added. “With Rizz, my friends can give me feedback and advice on who I’m chatting with in real-time”
Now single, Hull admitted that she seeks dating advice from her fellow pros, including her compatriot and close friend Georgia Hall, who she will be competing alongside in Paris.
“We have known each other since we were 11 and grew up practicing together. It’s perfect to get to play with my best mate,” Hull shared.
The two share a storied history together on the course, with their most recent joint effort being at the 2024 Dow Championship in June.
Hull and Hall, who is making her Olympic debut in Paris, are both members of the winning European team that clinched the past three Solheim Cup titles (2019, 2021, 2023).
Unfortunately for Hull, she won’t be able to channel her inner PGA Tour star John Daly, as smoking is prohibited at Olympic venues in Paris.
However, on the bright side, there will be several eligible bachelors in Olympic Village, including an array of international golf stars.
