Charley Hull withdraws from ANA Inspiration after positive Covid-19 test

Charley Hull has been forced to withdraw from the ANA Inspiration, the second major of this year, after testing positive for Covid-19. The result emerged on Tuesday morning, 48 hours before the event was due to get under way in California after routine coronavirus screening.

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In a statement, the 24-year-old from England explained she was disappointed to miss “one of my favourite weeks of the year”. Hull added: “I didn’t feel great yesterday [Monday] but I put it down to jet lag, the heat and my asthma playing up. I now realise that I have some mild symptoms that feel similar to having a cold and I am self-isolating and working with the [LPGA] Tour on contact tracing.”

Hull added she is “looking forward to when I can return to playing on Tour”. She is likely to have to quarantine for at least 10 days pending further assessment.

Her last outing was in missing the cut at last month’s Women’s Open at Troon. Days earlier, she finished 22nd at the Ladies Scottish Open. The ANA Inspiration has been Hull’s most profitable major to date; she finished in a tie for second there in 2016, one of three top 10 placings.