Charley Hull Defends Viral £100,000 Caddie Prank, Says Critics Should ‘Loosen Up’
By Alex christian | MBCF News_July 31, 2026
England's Charley Hull has defended a viral prank she played on her longtime caddie, insisting she has no regrets despite criticism on social media.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday ahead of the 2026 AIG Women's British Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, Hull addressed backlash over a joke in which she gave her caddie, Adam Woodward, a fake £100,000 winning scratch card purchased from a novelty store.
According to Hull, Woodward initially believed he had won the prize and celebrated the apparent windfall.
"He's literally running around the player's lounge saying, 'I've won £100,000. I'm taking today off,'" Hull said. "He couldn't believe his luck, and we had to tell him it was fake and he nearly quit the job."
The story gained widespread attention after a video of Hull recounting the prank during her press conference circulated online, attracting millions of views and generating mixed reactions. While some viewers found the joke amusing, others described it as insensitive.
Hull said she had not followed the online discussion because she removes social media from her phone during tournament weeks.
"I don't really have my social media on my phone on tournament weeks. So I delete it and when I go home I'll add it again," Hull explained. "I don't really like people seeing me and tagging me and stuff. I like to keep in the present moment. But, yeah, I think people need to lighten up if they're taking that too seriously because it was pretty funny."
The world No. 7 made it clear she would not apologize for the prank and believes her caddie ultimately appreciated the humor.
"No; and people that have complaints about it, I would say loosen up."
Asked whether she would do something similar again, Hull replied:
"Yeah, 100 percent; he thought it was funny after. He's not uptight. Like it's a joke. If people don't like it they can lump it, do you know what I mean? I mean, like I felt bad for Adsy, but at the end of the day I just got to have a good week, and at the end of the week I'll buy him 100 scratch cards."
Hull also joked that she hoped Woodward would earn even more money through a successful week at the Women's British Open.
"Hopefully he can earn more money than that as well this week if we play well."
On the course, Hull opened her campaign with a two-under-par 69, leaving her five shots behind first-round leader Jeeno Thitikul after the opening round. The 30-year-old continues her pursuit of a maiden major championship after twice finishing runner-up in the Women's Open.
The large galleries at Royal Lytham appeared unfazed by the controversy, with many fans turning out to support the English star during Thursday's opening round.
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Charley Hull Defends Viral £100,000 Caddie Prank, Says Critics Should ‘Loosen Up’
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Charley Hull has defended a viral prank on her caddie involving a fake £100,000 winning scratch card, saying critics should "loosen up" ahead of the 2026 AIG Women's British Open.
Analysis: Charley Hull's Viral Prank Shows the Fine Line Between Locker-Room Humor and Public Perception
Charley Hull has never been known for being overly cautious with her opinions. The English golfer has built a reputation as one of the LPGA Tour's most authentic personalities, often speaking candidly during interviews and refusing to carefully script every public appearance. Her latest controversy—a fake £100,000 winning scratch card prank on her caddie, Adam Woodward—has reinforced that image while also highlighting how quickly moments intended as private humor can become global talking points.
The prank itself was relatively straightforward. Hull bought a novelty scratch card designed to look like a winning ticket worth £100,000. According to her account, Woodward genuinely believed he had won the money and excitedly announced his "victory" around the players' lounge before discovering the ticket was fake. Hull admitted she briefly felt sorry for him but maintained that he eventually laughed about it.
What transformed the story into a controversy was not the prank itself but the reaction once clips from her press conference spread across social media. Millions of people viewed the video, and opinions quickly became divided. Some viewers described the prank as harmless fun between friends who know each other well. Others argued that making someone believe they had won a life-changing amount of money crossed a line, even if only for a few minutes.
Hull's response to the criticism was characteristically direct. Rather than apologizing or attempting to soften her comments, she doubled down. She insisted that critics should "loosen up," saying Woodward understood the joke and that she would happily repeat it. Her willingness to stand by her actions reflects a personality that values authenticity over public approval.
This incident also illustrates the growing challenge athletes face in the social media era. Years ago, stories like this might have remained inside the locker room or generated a brief laugh among players and staff. Today, every anecdote from a press conference can be clipped into a short video, shared worldwide within minutes, and judged by millions of people who know neither the individuals involved nor the nature of their relationship.
Context matters in situations like these. Hull and Woodward have worked together for years and appear to have developed a close professional relationship. Many sports teams rely on humor, practical jokes, and teasing to build camaraderie during long seasons. Without understanding that relationship, outside observers may interpret events very differently from those who experienced them firsthand.
At the same time, the criticism cannot simply be dismissed. For many people, £100,000 represents financial security, debt relief, or even a life-changing opportunity. Seeing someone briefly believe they had won such a sum only to discover it was fake naturally evokes sympathy. Critics argue that the emotional roller coaster, however brief, makes the joke difficult to defend.
Hull clearly sees it differently. Her comments suggest she judges the prank by its outcome rather than its premise. Because Woodward laughed afterward and continued working with her, she considers the matter settled. From her perspective, the opinions of strangers who were not involved carry little weight compared with the reaction of the person directly affected.
Another interesting aspect of Hull's remarks is her approach to social media. She revealed that she deletes social media apps from her phone during tournament weeks, preferring to stay focused on golf instead of reading comments or mentions. That strategy has become increasingly common among professional athletes, many of whom recognize that constant exposure to praise and criticism can affect performance and mental well-being.
Her decision to disconnect likely helped her avoid becoming distracted before one of the biggest tournaments of the year. Instead of engaging with online criticism, she concentrated on her golf and opened the AIG Women's British Open with a two-under-par 69. While not enough to challenge for the first-round lead, it kept her within striking distance heading into the remaining rounds.
The timing of the controversy is also significant. Hull is still searching for her first major championship despite several close calls, including two runner-up finishes in the Women's Open. Entering Royal Lytham & St Annes, much of the attention might normally have focused on whether this could finally be her breakthrough week. Instead, conversations before the tournament were dominated by a practical joke.
Whether that distraction ultimately affects her performance remains to be seen. Experienced athletes often insist that outside noise has little impact once competition begins, but media attention inevitably shifts the narrative surrounding a player. Every interview after her opening round included questions about the prank, showing how quickly off-course stories can overshadow sporting achievements.
Interestingly, the spectators at Royal Lytham appeared largely unconcerned by the controversy. Reports from the course suggested fans continued to support Hull enthusiastically, indicating that online reactions do not always reflect public opinion at sporting venues. This contrast between digital outrage and real-world responses has become increasingly common across professional sports.
There is also a broader lesson about modern celebrity. Public figures are increasingly expected to consider how every joke, comment, or anecdote may be interpreted by audiences with different cultural backgrounds, personal experiences, and values. Something that feels harmless within a close-knit team may appear insensitive to people encountering the story without context.
Hull, however, seems comfortable accepting that risk. Throughout her career, she has developed a reputation for speaking openly rather than delivering carefully polished media answers. For her supporters, that honesty makes her refreshing in an era when many athletes avoid controversy by offering predictable responses. For critics, it sometimes results in comments that appear unnecessarily blunt.
Ultimately, this episode is unlikely to have any lasting impact on Hull's career. It is not a rules violation, nor does it affect her standing in professional golf. Instead, it will probably be remembered as another example of how personality-driven moments can generate headlines alongside athletic performance.
The more important story now returns to the golf course. Hull remains one of the world's top players and continues pursuing the major title that has narrowly eluded her throughout her career. If she contends for the championship at Royal Lytham, attention will quickly shift back to her performance rather than a practical joke involving a novelty scratch card.
In the end, the incident highlights the tension between private humor and public scrutiny. Hull believes the prank was harmless because everyone directly involved eventually laughed. Others believe the emotional impact made it inappropriate regardless of intent. Neither perspective is likely to convince the other, ensuring the debate remains less about the prank itself and more about where people believe the boundaries of acceptable humor should be.
Source:
Golf Digest — "Charley Hull doubles down on viral caddie prank: 'If people don't like it, they can lump it'" by Evin Priest, published July 30, 2026.
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