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)
BALTIMORE (AP) — Colton Cowser hit his 21st and 22nd home runs, James McCann added his sixth and seventh and the Orioles went deep a season-high five times in a 7-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.
Baltimore closed within 3 1/2 games of the AL East-leading New York Yankees and opened a four-game lead over Kansas City for the top AL wild card. Detroit fell one game behind Minnesota for the final AL wild card.
Anthony Santander contributed his 43rd round-tripper — his second in as many games — off Tigers opener Tyler Holton (7-2) as the Orioles won consecutive games for the first time in more than two weeks.
“We’ve played good baseball the last two days,” said Corbin Burnes (15-8), who pitched seven shutout innings for a second time in as many games against Detroit. "So now it's just about keeping it going and playing our baseball, and not worrying about what's going on (elsewhere)."
Burnes struck out eight, yielded three hits and three walks, and lowered his ERA to 2.95 as the Orioles opened a three-game set against one of baseball’s hottest teams. The Tigers had won their previous four and nine of their last 11 entering Friday.
Keider Montero struck out seven but yielded Baltimore’s final four homers over five innings of middle relief for the Tigers.
“I told him on the mound, ‘Keep your head high. You’re going to get the ball again in five or six days and you're going to help us win,'" Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said.
Trey Sweeney had a late RBI single for Detroit.
McCann’s second shot sailed into the Baltimore bullpen, where reliever Cionel Perez caught it with an outstretched cap — his sixth such feat this season. That completed Baltimore’s first game with multiple players hitting multiple homers since June of 2021, and brought its season total to 224.
“We haven't had homers in bunches like this in a while, and we did in the first half,” said Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde. “It was a fun night for us offensively."
Detroit played from behind from the start. A miscommunication between outfielders Parker Meadows and Kerry Carpenter gifted Gunnar Henderson a leadoff double.
Three batters later, Santander lined Holton’s 2-2 cutter just over the 398-foot sign in deep left-center to make it 2-0 and set in motion a comfortable victory after his walk-off shot decided Thursday's 5-3 win over San Francisco.
“With two outs, two strikes and he goes deep, that was ... honestly a turning point in the game,” Hyde said. “Getting Burnes with a lead there, a 2-0 lead right away.”
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Rookie 3B Colt Keith (right shoulder) returned to the lineup in the DH role after missing Tuesday's game. Manager A.J. Hinch said he could return to playing defense later this series, or in Detroit's next series at home against Tampa Bay.
Orioles: Activated LHP Danny Coulombe (left elbow surgery) from the 60-day injured list and placed RHP Burch Smith (right groin strain) on the 15-day injured list. Coulombe worked a scoreless eighth. ... Held out OF Cedric Mullins (neck discomfort) after his involvement in an outfield collision on Thursday. ... Sent 1B Ryan Mountcastle to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk.
UP NEXT
Orioles Rookie LHP Cade Povich (2-9. 5.74 ERA) tries to build on a promising September in which he's pitched to a 3.18 ERA over three starts. The Tigers send out another opener in RHP Reese Olson (4-8, 3.50).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser, left, rounds the bases on his home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser, top, celebrates his home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game as Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers looks on, at bottom, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Keider Montero throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann, second from left, celebrates after his two-run home run with Gunnar Henderson (2) and Coby Mayo (16) as Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers., right, looks on during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann celebrates after his two-run home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, left, tags out Detroit Tigers' Kerry Carpenter, right, as he tried to steal second base during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' Colton Cowser celebrates his home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann, right, celebrates his home run with Gunnar Henderson (2) during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles' James McCann gestures as he celebrates his home run in front of Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers (34) and home plate umpire CB Bucknor, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
