Georgia Hall’s third place finish in last year’s Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns has put her in a good frame of mind coming into the 2018 Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
“It’s definitely helped my confidence going into this week. You know, playing so well last year, and on a links golf course, you know, I was extremely happy with my result,” says the 2017 LET Player of the Year.
The style of play demanded by British coastal courses is one that Hall enjoys. “I play well when I get to play Links golf, so the two weeks here I try and make the most of it.”
The draw of home is another positive of the Women’s British Open for the 22-year-old who has spent much of her time playing in America since joining the LPGA Tour earlier this year. “When I play links golf, it normally means I’m quite close to home, so I’m always happy about that.”
Returning to Britain has many benefits for the World Number 39. “When I’m in America, I always see people’s friends and family go and support them, and I don’t really have that. So it’s nice to come back here and have lots of people supporting me.”
It will be a family affair inside the ropes as well, with the 2017 Solheim Cup Rookie bringing her father, Wayne, in on the bag this week. “He used to caddie for me quite a lot as an amateur and he doesn’t get to watch me play that much anymore because I’m always in America. He’s done the last like three or four British Opens, Scottish Opens and we played so well together last year that it’s only right for him to be on the bag this week.”
The Bournemouth golfer returned to the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open last week, and experienced the variety of conditions that come with coastal courses. “The first two days were completely different to the last two. First two days were lovely, I mean you could have been playing not on a links golf course because there was literally no weather to compete with and then Saturday the wind blows.”
When conditions take a turn and the links shows its teeth is where Hall believes she comes into her element. “It’s really come to me to play in the wind, so I play well then.” Having grown up in the temperamental British weather, Hall has learnt to adapt to the challenge. “I like to keep the ball quite low naturally even when I’m in America, so to be able to do it here makes it more fun for me.”
This week is Hall’s first time playing Royal Lytham and St Annes but this is not something that concerns her. “I’m actually quite happy I didn’t come here two months ago because I heard the golf course was really burnt out and it’s running a lot, so then I would have kind of been shocked when I came here on Monday. So that was a good thing.”
“The reason why I play so well, it’s just when my head’s in the right place. So it’s always just thinking in the back of my head that I didn’t go to Kingsbarns last year, but I did this year. It’s more important to me for my head to be in a good place than actually having a practice round two months ago.”
While Hall has never played the course before, she picked up some tips from someone who has enjoyed Major success around Royal Lytham and St Annes. “I played with Tom Lehman like two weeks ago and he won here, and after he just said lay up short of the bunkers off the tee, so I’m going to listen to his advice and see if it works.”
With the words of the 1996 Open Champion ringing in her ears, Hall will set about attempting to replicate the American’s feat at 11:54 this morning alongside In Gee Chun and World Number 1 Ariya Jutanugam, the winner last week at Gullane.
