Ko 11 back as Hall claims a major in first tournament win
WELLINGTON: Lydia Ko needed a big final round to be in contention at the Women’s British Open yesterday but a poor start to the day all but ruled out a third major title for the New Zealander.
The world No 19 shot a finalround 1over 73 to finish the tournament at 6under — 11 shots behind Georgia Hall, of England.
Starting the final day at Royal Lytham and St Annes six shots back, Ko went bogey, bogey to begin her round.
She managed to get back to even for the round with birdies at the fourth and seventh holes before two more consecutive bogeys on the front nine once again resulted in her going backwards.
Ko’s tie for 11th finish is her best in a major this year.
Roared on by the large galleries in her home country, the 22yearold Hall took the lead for the first time after a 6m putt for birdie at the 16th hole and stayed steady to post 5under 67.
After tapping in for a bogey — her first of the day — at 18 to secure a twoshot victory over Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum, who shot 70, Hall hugged her playing partner before being lifted off her feet by her caddie, father Wayne.
Golfloving Wayne long saw this coming. His daughter was born during the 1996 Masters won by Englishman Nick Faldo at Augusta, Georgia, and she was named as a tribute to that victory.
Twentytwo years later, she has her hands on one of the big five trophies in women’s golf — remarkably her first LPGA title of any sort.
The way Hall kept her composure and kept producing the shots of her life down the stretch, there might be more to come.
Hall finished at 17under 271, becoming the second English player to win the championship after Karen Stupples in 2004.
‘‘I always joked to myself, because I haven’t won a tournament since I turned pro, that the first one I win would be a major. I used to say that and I’ve actually done it now,’’ Hall said.
‘‘I don’t know what it is, but it is more enjoyable and fun the bigger the competition is.
‘‘I was very confident going into this event from last year thirdequal] and I love links golf and I’m playing in England, which is very rare.’’
Hall joined Laura Davies, who won 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.
Pornanong, the leader after the second and third rounds, started the day a shot ahead of Hall and opened her lead to two strokes after three straight birdies from the fourth hole but was caught by her playing partner at the 13th when Hall birdied.
Pornanong, also seeking her first major and LPGA title, doublebogeyed the 17th to leave Hall with a threeshot lead down the last. Hall played safe in threeputting the last.
South Korean Ryu Soyeon was third on 13under after a finalround 70. — RNZ/AP