Charley Hull, the British No.1 women's golfer, has dismissed claims that the Olympic smoking ban was to blame for her poor performance at Le Golf National on Wednesday. She instead attributed her struggles to rustiness following a shoulder injury.
Hull, who enjoys lighting up during a round to "relax", admitted she had concerns that the ban would impact her game.
However, after starting with a double bogey and dropping seven more shots in her nine-over 81 first-round score, Hull said it was not the cause for a tough first round.
She ranks 58th in the 60-woman field and has a huge task on Thursday to make the cut.
Yet Hull insisted: "I've been injured and this is my first week back really. I don't think a lot of people realise that I did pull out of the Aramco Team Series (last month) and I did take like 10 days off golf and had an MRI and everything."
She explained further: "I fell over getting out of the shower just before a flight back from the USA. It's not affecting my play.
"It's just like I feel a bit rusty because obviously it's been five weeks since I last played properly a four-day event. I think that is 100 per cent what it is - not the smoking.
"Hopefully I've got the rust off me and I'm looking forward to hopefully shooting freaking nine-under tomorrow." Hull and fellow British golfer Georgia Hall only arrived in France on Monday night and had one practice round on a course they had never played before.
World No.41 Hall also struggled somewhat with a 74. Home favourite Celine Boutier leads after her 65 while world No.1 and defending champion Nelly Korda started with a level-par 72.
Britain's top golfer, Hull, who was recently diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), admits that smoking aids her concentration on the course.
She said: "I do smoke on the course. It's a habit but I won't do it this week. Yeah, just something I do. I don't think you're allowed. Yeah, I think it will [affect me]. Because it relaxes me a little bit. But it is what it is."
