Charley Hull calls ADHD hyperfocus her "secret weapon" on the course

Charley Hull was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 2023. She recently opened up about the condition, saying that it has helped her game on the course.

Hull was featured in a recent episode of The Pursuit podcast with Kelly Cates. During the discussion, Cates asked her if she gets the hyper-focus that comes with AHD, and the three-time LPGA Tour winner replied,

“I find that extremely helpful. If I'm interested in something, I get obsessed with it. You could be talking to me, but I'm so focused on it. I think a lot of people don't understand it unless they can hyperfocus. But that is definitely like a little secret weapon for me that I can do, because I can literally be that hyper-focused even just in random stuff.”

Charley Hull said that she can be so focused on something on the course that she blocks “everything out.” She also noted that while having a disorder like ADHD can make regular life difficult for sportspeople like her, it can also make her work life better.

The Kettering native further revealed that she thrives on routine. Her days start in the gym, after which she has breakfast and an ice bath before going to practice. Not sticking to her practice routine or skipping the gym often leaves her feeling unsettled and guilty, so she makes it a point to stay consistent with her training.

Charley Hull recently picked up her first win of the season and third LPGA Tour title at the Kroger Queen City Championship. She won the tournament with a 20-under 268 across 72 holes, defeating World No. 1 golfer Jeeno Thitikul by one stroke.

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“Probably does me a bit of a favor” - Charley Hull speaks on playing through pain

During a post-tournament press conference at TPC River’s Bend, Charley Hull revealed that although she was able to win the tournament, she was still facing some health challenges. She recalled fainting at the Amundi Evian Championship in July and recently tearing a ligament in her ankle, which kept her off the course for three weeks.

Despite it all, the four-time DP World Tour winner maintained a positive outlook on the situation. She acknowledged that the pain may have even helped her play better because she ends up pushing herself to perform well.

“I suppose pain is just a weakness of the mind. Probably does me a bit of a favor sometimes because I end up doing too much, too much gym, practice, overthinking,” Hull said.

When reflecting on her victory at the Kroger Queen City Championship, Charley Hull said it “feels pretty good” to win. She noted that she has had a lot of second-place finishes over the last few years, and is happy to have finally ended the three-year winless drought on the PGA Tour.

Edited by Sarah Rishama Madaki