When Georgia Hall and Charley Hull both withdrew from this week’s Hanwha Lifeplus International Crown last Saturday, the other two original members of Team England found out just like everybody else.
Law said Tuesday that she had heard whispers that Hall, who is batting a foot injury, and Hull, who is feeling unwell, wouldn’t be joining them for the team competition at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. But when the pair officially pulled out on Saturday, they’d yet to tell Law and Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who both read the news on Sunday.
“So quite late,” Law said. “But yeah, very happy to have both Alice [Hewson] and Liz [Young] are here. They’re both very patriotic, very team oriented, and I think that that’s a testament to kind of what this tournament is about and is more important than the individuals in the team.”
Law was clearly upset with the way she discovered Hewson and Young, and not Hall and Hull, would be representing England at this week’s team competition, the first since 2018.
“Didn’t get any sort of message from the two that decided to not play,” Law said. “Was disappointed about that. But it’s beside the point now. We’re here, and this is our team, and this is Team England.”
Law revealed that Hull did text her on Tuesday apologizing. “But that’s it,” Law said.
She wasn’t done either: “I think anyone with some level of decency would send their teammates a message that they weren’t coming,” Law added, “not find out from other players on Tour who have heard things from them saying things at the tournament last week. I don’t think that that’s a lot to ask for.”
Ewart Shadoff was less pointed, but she admitted to being disappointed as well. Hall and Hull are ranked Nos. 10 and 17 in the Rolex Rankings, respectively. Hewson is No. 178 while Young is No. 222.
“I’m sure it’s disappointing mainly for Hanwha,” Ewart Shadoff said. “I think what they’ve done for the tournament and to bring it back, we’re all just really grateful to be here. As I said, I’ve lived in the U.S. for almost half my life now, and I’m still as proud now to put on the England flag as I was when I was 12 years old putting it on for the first time. My schedule this year is all based around – especially the first half of this year – all based around being here this week because it means that much to me to play for England.
“It’s just a privilege. I’m very proud to be here, and I’m proud to be part of this team with the other three girls on this stage.”
Law was quick to add: “And I think every single one of us feels that. It’s more important to have teammates that feel that way and want to be here than anything else, and that’s why having them here is going to be the best thing for Team England this week.”
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