No fast finish for Ko at Open

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko could not summon the fast finish she needed at the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham to finish in a tie for 11th, 11 shots behind surprise home winner Georgia Hall.

Ko carded a one-over-par 73 in her final round to finish at sixunder 282. She produced a rollercoaster round of four bogeys and three birdies and was never able to make the charge she required to threaten the leaders.

Bogeys on her first two holes probably killed off Ko’s hopes then and there. She rallied to birdie the fourth and seventh but then undid that with further dropped shots at the eighth and ninth.

She was steadier over the back nine, with eight pars and a birdie on the par-five 15th.

Named in honour of a famous Masters victory, Hall now has her hands on one of the big trophies in women’s golf at the age of 22.

The Englishwoman reeled in long-time leader Pornanong Phatlum in a gripping final-round duel for her first major title.

Hull tapped in for a bogey – her first of the day – at the last hole to clinch a two-shot victory over Pornanong. The Englishwoman then hugged her playing partner from Thailand before being lifted off her feet by her caddie, father Wayne.

It was fitting that Wayne, a former two-handicapper himself, was on the bag to experience the biggest moment of his daughter’s career.

Georgia was born during the 1996 Masters won by England’s Nick Faldo at Augusta, Georgia. She was named in honour of that victory, which came after Faldo overcame a six-stroke deficit to Greg Norman in the final round.

Twenty-two years later, Hall is the pride of English golf, just like Faldo was.

Her final round of five-under 67, which included six birdies, saw her finish on 17-under 271.

‘‘I was loving it deep down, hitting the shots under pressure,’’ Hall said.