Hall scores first win as a pro at British Open
THE Victorian Open has again lived up to its ‘where stars are born’ motto with Georgia Hall claiming the Women’s British Open yesterday.
The 2016 Vic Open winner became the fourth Englishwoman major champion when she carded a closing fiveunder-par 67 to clinch victory.
Hall stamped her authority with three birdies in a four- hole stretch to beat Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum by two strokes at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Cheered on by a large gallery, Hall finished at 17-under 271, becoming the second English player to win the championship after Karen Stupples in 2004.
“I’ve always joked by saying I haven’t really won since turning pro and a major will be my first win and I can’t believe it’s actually true,” Hall, 22, told Golf Channel.
“I told myself just to stay calm the whole way and not think about anything. I thought I’ll cry but I think that’s going to happen in another couple of hours. Hopefully I’ll be alone then.”
But Australian star and 2018 Vic Open winner Minjee Lee slumped to a 10th place finish. Lee started the final round in contention for a podium finish, being the nearest challenger to the leading pair, Hall and Phatlum, on 10-under by the sixth hole.
But then disaster struck with the West Australian bogeying four times — on the seventh, 12th, 15th and 16th — to finish the round on three over par on 75.
After leading the opening round and never dropping below fourth place, the 22year-old’s costly errors pushed her down to 10th place overall.
Hall joined Laura Davies (four), Alison Nicholas and Stupples as women’s major winners from England.
She became the first English player of either sex to win a major at Royal Lytham since Tony Jacklin won the 1969 British Open. The final round quickly turned into a head-tohead duel between Hall and overnight lead Phatlum, after South Korean Ryu So-yeon triple-bogeyed the third hole.
Phatlum, seeking to join compatriot Ariya Jutanugarn (US Women’s Open) as a major champion this year, hit a series of loose drives down the stretch. But a 70 earned her second place on 15-under.