Quick Read
- Charley Hull is chasing her first major title at the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open.
- She has adopted an ‘attacker’ mentality, moving away from over-analyzing her swing.
- Hull has four previous runner-up finishes in major championships.
- The final round is taking place at the iconic Riviera Country Club.
A High-Stakes Final Round
England’s Charley Hull has surged into serious contention for her maiden major title during the final round of the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open at The Riviera Country Club. With four previous runner-up finishes in major championships, Hull’s performance this Sunday marks a pivotal moment in her career as she looks to overcome a leaderboard crowded with the world’s top talent, including Nelly Korda and In Gee Chun.
The ‘Attacker’ Mentality
Hull’s ascent to the top of the leaderboard has been defined by a notably aggressive approach. Eschewing the traditional, cautious mindset often associated with major championship play, Hull has adopted what she describes as an ‘attacker’ mentality. This strategy was on full display during the final round, where she nearly carded an ace on the par-three sixth hole and utilized an eagle-birdie start to vault into the lead. Sky Sports analyst Trish Johnson noted, ‘She has just attacked… she’s so entertaining and she’s just giving this everything.’
Analysis: Defining the Pressure
The stakes at Riviera are significant. As USGA chief executive Mike Whan remarked on NBC, the tournament has produced the exact leaderboard officials hoped for: the world’s best players competing on an iconic, challenging course. For Hull, the pressure of a major Sunday is often where previous campaigns have stalled, but her current ‘nothing-to-lose’ philosophy appears to be a deliberate psychological pivot. By simplifying her approach—effectively ‘canceling out’ technical over-analysis—she has successfully maintained a high-intensity pace that keeps her in the hunt against seasoned major winners like Chun and Korda. Whether this aggressive, risk-taking style can hold over the final holes at one of golf’s most demanding venues remains the critical question of the championship.