Cheered on by large home crowds, England’s Georgia Hall captured her first tour title – and her first major – with a two-stroke victory at the Ricoh Women’s British Open held at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
The 22-year-old from Bournemouth became the first Englishwoman to win the British Open since Karen Stupples’ success at Sunningdale in 2004, and the first British winner since Catriona Matthew triumphed at Lytham in 2009.
Hall fired rounds of 67, 68, 69 and 67 to finish on 17-under par for the week, and pull two shots clear of Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum, who had started the final day with a slender one-shot lead over Hall.
The pair, who pulled five shots clear of the pursuing pack by the end of the front nine, duelled their way around the Lancashire links, pouring in birdie after birdie. Hall put the squeeze on her rival as early was the first, where she birdied the par three for the second time in the week. But despite birdies at 4 and 6, it wasn’t until the 13ththat she managed to get on level terms with the 28-year-old Thai player, who had missed the cut in six of her previous seven appearances at the British Open.
After trading birdies at the par-five 15th, Hall piled on the pressure on her rival with a 20-foot birdie putt on 16, and when Phatlum found a fairway bunker on the par-four 17th, and could only reach the green in three, Hall found the centre of the green for an easy two-putt par. Clearly feeling the nerves, the Thai player three-putted for a double bogey, and Hall walked to the 18thtee with a comfortable three-shot lead.
That advantage proved more than enough for the Dorset player, who calmly tapped in for bogey at 18 and raised her hands in triumph to the delight of the crowds surrounding the final hole.
Although Hall won last year’s Ladies European Tour order of merit, this was, incredibly, her first top-flight win since she turned professional in 2014. Long heralded as a future star, after winning English U13 and U15 championships, and the British Ladies Amateur in 2013, Hall has taken her time to get her head in front, but to do at the highest level, and against the world’s best players, at such a young age, shows that she has the talent to go to the very top of the game.
“It’s too good to be true really,” Hall said, after lifting the trophy, which also comes with a handy £375,000 first prize. “It was my goal when I was nine – I’d say on the putting green, ‘this six-footer is for the British Open’, and to actually have that, I’m over the moon. I always joked to myself that the first tournament I win would be a major. I saved my first for the best.”
As well as a hot putter, the key to Hall’s success lay in her accuracy off the tee, which saw her find only one fairway bunker during the 72 holes. Although she landed in seven greenside traps, her impressive short game saw her get up and down every time.
Hall was quick to pay tribute to her father, Wayne, who was on caddy duties for the week, as he has been for all six of her British Open appearances. “We made some tough decisions out there all week, and I’m really proud that we managed to commit to the right shots at the right time. It was amazing to have Dad caddie for me and be there with me. Growing up, money was sometimes tight, and I missed three majors as an amateur I qualified for. But Dad always said that if my golf’s good enough, then it can take me anywhere, regardless of how much money we have. Dad helped me throughout, as a golfer and a person, and I can’t thank him enough.”
Further down the leadberboard, Korea’s So Yeon carded a final round 70 to finish alone in third on 13 under, two strokes behind Phatlum, while world No.1 Ariya Jutanugarn tied for fourth at nine under alongside Sei Young Kim and Mamiko Higa. Behind Hall, the next highest placed English player was Bronte Law, in tied 39th, while Catriona Matthew slipped into a share of 42ndafter closing with a 76.
Earlier in the week, English hopes Charley Hull and Mel Reid missed the cut by wide margins, as did Dame Laura Davies, who shot rounds of 73 and 77 to fall five shots outside the cut mark.
For all the scores from the Ricoh Women’s British Open, click here.
What’s in the Bag – Georgia Hall
Driver: Callaway GBB Epic Driver 9°
Fairway Wood: Callaway Rogue 3
Irons: Callaway Apex CF16 (3, 4) and X Forged ’18 (5-PW)
Wedges: Callaway Mack Daddy 4 (50°, 54° & 58°)
Putter: Odyssey White Hot RX Rossie