Extra putting practice puts Hall in Open mix

GEORGIA HALL birdied three of her last four holes to move to within one shot of the lead going into the final round of the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

Hall, who is attempting to become only the third British winner since the event became a major in 2001, made five birdies and two bogeys in her third round, carding a 12-under-par 69.

She had been three shots behind leader Pornanong Phatlum standing on the 15th tee, but then produced three timely birdies to close the gap on her Thai playing partner.

The 22-year-old from Dorset is now brilliantly poised to go two better than last year — she finished third at Kingsbarns — and claim her maiden major title.

‘I’m so pleased with the way I’m playing and I’ll just get myself into my little bubble and see what happens,’ she said. Hall had an erratic day from tee to green at Royal Lytham, but some wonderful scrambling and a barrage of crunch putts kept her firmly in the running. ‘I was so happy with the way I putted, I was rolling it well and I was seeing the lines quite clearly,’ she said.

‘I did 20 minutes before my normal warm-up and then another 20 minutes putting.

‘I think the 40 minutes putting I did before I went out was the key to how I putted.’

Hall, who was cheered on by a partisan home crowd, added: ‘It was great to get so much support, I haven’t really had that before because I play in America quite a bit.’

Phatlum was a surprise 36-hole leader. The Thai had made only one cut in seven previous visits to the British Open.

But she was solid all day and birdies at the third, sixth, eighth and 11th maintained her overnight lead.

Phatlum also carded a 69 with her solitary bogey coming at the 12th.

Among the other British contenders, Scot Catriona Matthew is on three under, England’s Florentyna Parker is a further shot adrift, while Wales’ Lydia Hall is on two over.