SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France (AP) — Charley Hull of Britain might not be going viral at the Olympics. There's no smoking inside the ropes at Le Golf National.
Hull made quite the sensation this year at the U.S. Women's Open with a social media post of her signing autographs with a cigarette dangling between her lips.
“I do smoke on the course,” Hull said Tuesday. “It's a habit, but I won't do it this week. I don't think you're allowed.”
The Paris 2024 health and safety guidelines indicate that smoking is not allowed at any venues except in designated areas. That would not include inside the ropes for the 60-player field in the women's competition that starts Wednesday.
That was greeted by a shrug from Hull, a free-wheeling 28-year-old from England. But there was a small measure of concern. She was asked if not smoking — she says she lights up on the course when she's feeling stressed — will affect her.
“I think it will,” Hull said. “Because it relaxes me a little bit. But it is what it is.”
Hull is playing in her second Olympics. She finished two shots out of a chance at the bronze medal in the Tokyo Games. Hull played in her first Solheim Cup at age 17. She has five wins on the LPGA and Ladies European Tour and has been runner-up three times in the majors.
But that one moment at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania made her more famous than nearly everything she has done on the golf course.
Hull said she was walking to the range, smoking a cigarette, and her hands were full when someone asked her for an autograph.
“I always like signing autographs,” she said at the Women's Open. “Had a cigarette in my mouth, signed it, and then it's gone viral.”
She hasn't checked reaction to that moment because Hull got off Instagram and other social media about four months ago.
Smoking and golf have a history — Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, even Jack Nicklaus until he saw a photo of him smoking in the early 1960s and never smoked again on the course. It's more rare these days on tour, though a few players — Hull included — still light up.
Just not this week.
AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
FILE - Charley Hull, of England, watches her shot after hitting from the fourth tee during the final round of the Women's PGA Championship golf tournament at Sahalee Country Club, Sunday, June 23, 2024, in Sammamish, Wash. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Liverpool manager Arne Slot was happy to see England’s referees’ body acknowledge it was wrong to not award Everton defender James Tarkowski a red card for a dangerous tackle on Alexis Mac Allister in the Merseyside derby.
Tarkowski was shown a yellow card for the foul that came early in Wednesday’s game at Anfield and was later described by the Premier League as reckless. The on-field sanction was upheld by the video assistant referee after a review.
The center back made contact with the ball but caught Mac Allister high on the back of the calf with his follow-through.
British media have reported that the PGMOL, the referees’ governing body, acknowledges Tarkowski’s yellow card should have been upgraded to red as the follow-through met the threshold for serious foul play.
“It's good that they acknowledged the mistake,” Slot said on Thursday in a news conference, “but I think that it was so clear. So many pundits who are not Liverpool fans, all of them are clear about it as well.”
After treatment, Mac Allister was able to play on and Liverpool won 1-0 to reclaim a 12-point lead in the league with eight games left.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Referee Samuel Barrott gives a yellow card to Everton's James Tarkowski for a foul on Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Everton's James Tarkowski takes off his shirt to give to supporters after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Everton's James Tarkowski, left, right Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Liverpool, England. (Peter Byrne/PA via AP)
Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister reacts after being fouled by Everton's James Tarkowski during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Everton's James Tarkowski, left, fouls Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
