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Hall-elujah!
No Englishwoman had won the Women’s British Open since Karen Stupples in 2004, and in a tournament boasting the most international field in women’s golf this hardly seemed the time to change that. Still, we were quietly confident in the ability of superstars like Charley Hull, Jodi Ewart Shadoff, Melissa Reid and Bronte Law.
Hull missed the cut, Ewart Shadoff missed the cut, Reid missed the cut. Bronte Law managed an even-par week for a share of 39th, but Georgia Hall was the star of the show. The 22-year-old from Bournemouth turned professional in 2014 aged 18 following a successful amateur career, but her only victory since came on the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour (ALPG Tour) at the 2016 Oates Victorian Open. This absence of a European or LPGA title is why she was overlooked by many at the start of this tournament, despite her T3 in last year’s event at Kingsbarns.
How She Did It
Impressively. That’s how she did it. Shooting 67-68-69 on the par-72 Royal Lytham & St Annes course left her a single stroke off leader Pornanong Phatlum of Thailand. The apparently inevitable round of 70 would not be enough, Georgia knew, to secure the title.
An opening-hole birdie was followed by two more at the fourth & sixth to go out in a flawless 32. However, Phatlum made four birdies of her own with just the one bogey to maintain her one-stroke advantage at the turn. Hall made birdie at the 13th to level things up before both women birdied the 15th. Hall was not only chasing her first big victory, but she was doing so at the tournament she’d dreamed of winning since she was 9 years old. Yet, somehow, she looked completely unfazed as she expertly holed her birdie putt at the 16th to take the lead.
Hall’s brilliance forced Phatlum to go for it at 17 and, as we all know, forcing it doesn’t usually end well. Phatlum’s tee shot found the bunker before a short bogey putt missed right. Hall remained nerveless to sink a par putt and take a three-stroke cushion to the last. Knowing this, the Englishwoman played it safe and edged across the green towards the hole; giving herself a short bogey putt for victory, which she duly converted.
A mix of outstanding golf and mental strength gave Georgia Hall the victory she’s always dreamed of and, I’m sure, the victory to kick-start a great career.
Inspiring Stuff
It’s important we realise the magnitude of Hall’s victory. Asian flags often dominate leaderboards in the women’s game, and this week was no different (two Thai, two Korean, two Chinese and a Japanese flag making up seven of the eight spots behind Hall) so the home crowd really were blessed. On top of that, the tournament provided a shining example of the quality of ladies Tour golf. Maminko Higa’s final round 73 (+1) was the only round of par-or-over from any of the tournament’s Top-6. Hall finished two-strokes clear on -17 on a course synonymous with the term “Beast”. Hall’s victory also coincided with England Golf’s Women & Girls Golf Week; an initiative to raise awareness and participation in the women’s game. To see a young English woman achieve her dream is the best advert you could ask for.
Congratulations, Georgia Hall!
Written by Joe Carabini
