Charlie Hull has never quite fit into the little box of golf politeness. She plays fast, speaks bluntly, and trains more like a boxer than a golfer. Last year, she also unexpectedly became the most relatable rebel on the LPGA Tour, thanks to a very public habit: smoking during tournaments.
Now Hull is trying to break the habit, and she’s doing it in classic Charli style: The stakes are high, very public, and worth about $13,000. Here’s what actually happened, why it went viral and what it says about Hull (and modern golf fans).
The moment that made Hull a cult hero
The image of Hull holding a cigarette went viral during the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, when she was photographed smoking while signing autographs. The video quickly went viral, with fans comparing her to another talented golfer, John Daly, who is known for his unfiltered public image.
Hull didn’t run away from it. If anything, she’s prone to unexpected popularity. She even joked about the press attention, approaching the whole thing with a shrug and a smile rather than embarrassment.
In a sport that sometimes feels overly media-coached, Hull is a breath of fresh air…one of the reasons she’s become so popular so quickly.
The stakes: her promise and its value
On March 18, 2025, Hull posted a video on Instagram from Sunningdale Golf Club in England. In the letter, she handed a pack of cigarettes to British pro Ryan Evans and proposed a deal:
- She won’t smoke for two months.
- If she had smoked a cigarette during that time, she would have owed Evans £10,000.
- £10,000 is equivalent to approximately US$13,000, depending on the exchange rate.
Hull also made it clear in the video that she won’t receive money from winning. This bet is purely a deterrent. If she succeeds, she’ll become… healthier.
Why the internet caught on to it
This story is full of everything modern sports virality like:
“LPGA star bets $13,000 she won’t smoke.” You don’t even need the second sentence.
- High contrast personality
Hull is considered one of the fittest players on tour, constantly posting fitness sessions and intense workouts that make his smoking habit feel almost paradoxical. Fans couldn’t look away.
- Authentic, unvarnished atmosphere
Instagram videos don’t feel like PR scripts. It feels like your friend making a dramatic, half-laughing commitment to life in real time.
Many people want to quit smoking. Seeing an elite athlete publicly grapple with it can make people nervous…and make people feel less alone in the fight.
Hull’s own explanation: From e-cigarettes to cigarettes
Hull has spoken publicly about how she first started smoking on the court. She started vaping during a stressful time and then switched to cigarettes, in part because they were easier to control. You have to go outside to smoke, whereas vaping becomes constant.
It’s not positioned as “cool.” It’s been described as a messy, very human attempt at stress management. This is why her fans recognize themselves in her.
Also Read: Complete Guide to Golf for Beginners
Latest news: Early signs she’s holding on
A few weeks after announcing the bet, Hull posted that she hadn’t smoked in a full week and said she didn’t miss the feeling of smoking or feel cravings, although she mentioned a loss of appetite.
This doesn’t confirm the full results of two months, but it does confirm that she started the challenge and is tracking it publicly.
Later in the summer of 2025, Hull told talkSPORT that she had not smoked since the bet and had been using nicotine patches. She also said cigarettes became a coping mechanism after she was diagnosed with ADHD in 2023.
So Hull’s own report in that interview was that she held on during the betting window. Evans lost!
Will quitting affect performance? Quiet subplot
Whenever an athlete makes a big change mid-career, fans wonder what impact it will have on their game.
As far as Hull City is concerned, the start of 2025 is strong: she finished with solid finish and ranked in the top ten in the world at the time of betting.
None of the reports suggested that quitting smoking would have any negative impact on performance. If anything, most comments see it as combining her health with her already high fitness standards.
Still, the tension of “will this help or hurt her game?” remains. That’s part of what makes people care about this story.
The bigger picture: What the hull represents now
Hull’s smoking saga (first viral, then opposition) is bigger than cigarettes.
It highlights the transformation taking place in professional golf:
- Fans are equally interested in personality and precision. Hull is a world-class player, but the cigarette moment attracted an audience that wouldn’t normally watch LPGA coverage.
- Athletes don’t have to be spotless to be liked. In fact, imperfection can become a brand. Hull’s openness made her feel real.
- The LPGA’s cultural footprint is constantly evolving. Players like Hull, Nellie Korda, Lexi Thompson and others are expanding the image of the “golf star” in the social media age: funny, meme-able and human.
Hull didn’t become popular because of his smoking. She went viral because her whole vibe said, “Yes, I am who I am. Take it or leave it.” And now the internet, which turned her cigarette into a meme, is rooting for her to quit. It’s a fairly modern sporting relationship.
final thoughts
Charley Hull’s $13,000 smoking bet is fun, bold, and very on-brand. But it also quietly makes sense. It shows an elite athlete making a public commitment to fitness in a way that is honest rather than performative, which may be unusual.
It shows how fandom works now: the lasting moments aren’t always the chart-topping ones or those monster drive. Sometimes they remind us that these players are human beings first.
If Hull wins the bet, she won’t just lose a habit. She reinforced the qualities fans love about her: grit, humor and a willingness to be authentic in a sport that doesn’t always make room for it.
