Georgia Hall reveals her replica British Open trophy was stolen
We may yet witness a happy homecoming for Georgia Hall at the Women’s British Open. Still, in what Hall surely hopes is not an ominous precursor for what lies ahead this week, Tuesday’s discussion involving the champion felt more like an episode of Crimewatch.
Hall begins the defence of the trophy she won in emphatic fashion at Royal Lytham & St Annes on Thursday. The parkland of Woburn is the venue; it remains to be seen whether links courses become a permanent fixture when the R&A takes full control of this major from next year. All we know for now is that Troon will kick off the new regime.
Two months ago in Chiswick, west London came some unsavoury business which caused Hall alarm. On a rare visit back to England amid a series of tournaments in the United States, she had her replica Open trophy stolen from her car. There is no apparent hope of it being recovered.
“They probably melted it down,” said Hall, who is from Bournemouth. “They smashed my back window, like 12 o’clock in the middle of the day, and just took it.
“There was no CCTV. I don’t know if they knew it was me or not because it was in the box and everything. And I had golf clubs, as well, and they didn’t take them. A bit strange. It was in a boot with tinted windows.
“I was very upset. I was on my own and nothing had happened to me like that before, so I was a little bit scared. Then you feel a bit silly having it in the car. Maybe I should have taken it out. But you know, some things happen like this in life and you just get on with it, I suppose.”
Hall, 23, is still waiting to see if she can be issued with another piece of silverware. The practicalities seem to surround the tournament organisers issuing a replacement once insurance matters have been resolved. The original trophy is kept in a case by the R&A, at St Andrews.
More uplifting was the impact Hall’s Lytham triumph had on the women’s game. The scale of coverage attached to her two-shot win was unprecedented. Over the past 12 months, she has sensed a wider benefit.
“Loads of young girls and boys have been messaging me on social media, saying: ‘I have taken up the game because I watched you in the British’,” Hall said.
“I have seen a lot more attention [for the women’s game] and I think it’s done a lot of good – which I didn’t realise at the time – for golf, and especially women’s golf. I think it’s got much more recognition.
“I am definitely recognised a bit more in America. When I was on holiday in Barbados, quite funny, I got recognised when I was sunbathing, which was sort of strange. But it’s nice that so many people watched that day and to be able to congratulate me.”
Plaudits were due, too, to Hall’s father Wayne, who caddied for her Open win. The former plasterer is back on bag duties this week. “I think the last few weeks, he’s been training to be ready for this event,” Hall said. “He’s always been with me, playing golf since I started, so it’s just kind of normal for us, I’d say. He said he’s been going on a lot of walks because obviously you do a lot of walking this week.”
Hall enters this major ranked 30th in the world and having finished in a share of 37th at last week’s Evian Championship. General results on the opposite side of the Atlantic give the impression Hall has struggled to adjust to the prominence of being the Open champion. She ended her association with her coach, Dan Grieve, earlier this year.
“I’m actually very excited,” Hall said. “I don’t feel any pressure. It’s really nice for me to be home because I’ve been in the US the whole year.
“I’ve done the hard travelling and now I can enjoy being at home with a home crowd. I think I’m going to get a lot of support, so I look forward to people out there watching me and cheering me on.”