Charley Hull, who grew up in Burton Latimer, will tee off on Thursday morning at the AIG Women’s Open Championship and, despite admitting she’s ‘not hitting it the best coming into this week’, has her eyes set on her first major championship.

Charley Hull enters the fifth major of the season ranked 20th in the world, and is paired with second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul and three-time major champion, Minjee Lee.

Hull, who learned to play the game at Kettering Golf Club, had to withdraw from the Amundi Evian Championship earlier this month due to illness, but has enjoyed previous successes at Royal Porthcawl after tasting victory there during the the Junior Vagliano trophy as a junior in 2011.

On this, she said: “Yeah, it's really good. I think it's a great golf course. I played here back in 2011 in the Junior Vagliano. Me and Georgia (Hall) were paired here.

Charley Hull, raised in Burton Latimer, is hunting for her first major championship at Royal Porthcawl

placeholder image — Charley Hull, raised in Burton Latimer, is hunting for her first major championship at Royal Porthcawl

"Back then we were always inseparable. We played together in foursomes. Yeah, I've got such great memories from this golf course. It's just a great spot for everyone to come.

"The golf course is great, and I played here back in January with Nigel Edwards as well, and he helped me out and it was great.”

The LPGA has seen 13 different winners in the last 13 majors, and Hull is hoping to make it 14 out of 14, though admits she’s at a disadvantage heading into the tournament, having suffered a virus that saw her wirhdraw from a tournament mid-round earlier this month.

Speaking about her health going into the four-day, 72-hole tournament, she added: “Yeah, like on Sunday I pretty much felt back to normal. It took like two, three weeks -- well, three weeks actually.

"It's been quite frustrating because I've not been able to get out in to the gym yesterday. I did a run yesterday actually, but the week before I was sick I hurt my back lifting a box out of my car, and then my back's been really playing up and I've not been hitting it as well because I've not been able to go to the gym and do my rehab exercises.

"I'm not hitting it the best coming into this week which is very frustrating because it's an event I've been looking forward to playing all year.

“I've just got to go out there with what I've got.”

Lydia Ko took home the title last year after finishing two strokes ahead of Lilia Vu in St. Andrews, with Hull finishing T20 with a score of one-over par.

Hull turned professional at age 16 in 2013, and earned LET Rookie of the Year honours, while also making her Solheim Cup debut the same year. Since turning pro, she has recorded several top-10 finishes in major championships, finishing runner-up twice in major championships.

Speaking about her legacy, Hull added: “You can wake up in the morning and go play a game you love and earn money for it – gosh, that’s an unbelievable life.

"I don’t feel like I’ve got to carry anything. I just need to be me at the end of the day.”

The AIG Women’s Open gets underway on Thursday at 6.30am, with Hull beginning her campaign at 8.31am.