What seemed like a harmless prank to Charley Hull has enraged fans who claim she pulled a fast one on her caddie, Adam Woodward. Ahead of the tournament, the 30-year-old led Woodward to believe he had won £100,000 on a scratch card, only to reveal it later. Hull, who filmed the entire prank, got on fans’ bad side after the video exploded online. The three-time LPGA Tour winner has now responded to the criticism following the second round of the AIG Women’s Open, refusing to bow to public pressure.

“I did not, no, not think about it. What people don’t understand is mine and Adsy’s relationship. I think being British as well. Like you have banter and taking the Micky, if you get what I mean, out of each other… Like we’re very, very close. He’s like a big brother to me. He is one of my best friends.

“He’s always taking the Mickey out of me. He thought the joke was brilliant himself. Was showing everybody about it. He was laughing hard about it… Then, when you hear comments, so many people saying how bad it is, just lighten up. You obviously don’t get my humor, and I don’t care if you don’t get my humor. My friends get my humor, and that’s why they’re my friends.”

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Hull initially thought Woodward might be upset, but he found it hilarious instead. Hull added Woodward is famous amongst his group of caddies for pulling even bigger pranks himself. According to Hull, Woodward found the incident hilarious and had been enjoying the attention it received online. She said he was amused that the prank was featured by outlets such as LADbible and SPORTbible. 

Woodward had apparently also texted her to say it had been one of the funniest weeks he had experienced because of the joke. Hull also urged people to stop posting negative comments, reiterating that critics should “lighten up.” But ultimately, she did not care if people continued to disapprove of the prank. 

When asked about switching off comments on her social media, Hull revealed she had considered it until her boyfriend suggested otherwise. 

“My boyfriend said to me last night, ‘Free publicity is good publicity. Today’s newspaper is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper’. I was like, ‘Yeah, true’. Then we just laughed it off, and then we haven’t really spoken about it since.”

Meanwhile, four-time major winner Laura Davies criticized Charley Hull’s fake scratch card prank on her caddie, calling the stunt “extremely cruel” during tournament commentary. But Hull seems unbothered.

“It’s just the way I’ve been brought up, and I think people just need to be a bit more tough-skinned.”

She even asked fans to “Just grow a pair of b****.” From Hull’s point of view, everything seems dandy with her relationship with her caddie.

After scoring 2-under par 69 in the first round on Thursday, an unaffected Hull made even par in the second, tying for seventh place. 

As the 30-year-old heads into Moving Day, her caddie has yet to make a public statement regarding the prank and whether he found it funny or cruel. But the duo appears to have a close relationship, having collaborated since 2015.