Hall and Hull happy to be playing first AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon

Andrew Griffin — Wed, 19 Aug 2020 00:00:21 +0000

Georgia Hall hits her tee shot on the third hole at Royal Troon as Charley Hull looks on during a practice round ahead of the 2020 AIG Women’s Open. Picture by DAVID CANNON

GEORGIA Hall hopes to feed off her love of links golf and passion for the AIG Women’s Open as she goes in search of a second Major title at Royal Troon.

The 24-year-old is enjoying the buzz of the first women’s Major Championship of the year.

And its the event Hall memorably won in 2018 at Royal Lytham and St Annes.

Given Royal Troon is set to present a similar links challenge, the Dorset player is relishing the task as a star-studded international field prepares to compete from Thursday.

With the AIG Women’s Open being played without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hall said: “It’s lovely coming to an event knowing that you’ve won it and done the job in a Women’s Open.

“I look forward to this more than any other throughout the year.

“It’s always very special to see all the massive boards everywhere and it definitely feels like a Major.”

The R&A Women and Girls’ Golf ambassador added: “I think it’s an amazing venue at Royal Troon. I love links golf.

“I only bring the three-iron out once a year, and this is the week. So I can’t wait. I’ve heard it’s going to be windy, so it’s going to play extremely tough.”

Hull found some form playing the Rose Ladies Series, winning the £20,000 American Golf Order of Merit and getting in some links practice at Royal St George’s

Hull: Rose Series was good prep

WHILE fellow Solheim Cup winner Charley Hull is more familiar with parkland courses, the 24-year-old has experience of Royal Troon.

The Woburn pro, who hails from Kettering, played it in her early teens as an amateur in the Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship.

“I’m feeling good,” said Hull, who has posted five top-10s in Majors.

“I played Royal St George’s in the Rose Ladies Series about a month ago and that kind of got me in some links golf.

“The golf course is in great condition. The greens are rolling really nicely.

“I like it because it doesn’t look that long on the scorecard. But it has a lot of lay-up holes that leave longer irons into the greens. I quite like that because I’m a strong long-iron player.”

With Royal Troon hosting the AIG Women’s Open for the first time, Hull is especially looking forward to the challenge of the ‘Postage Stamp’ – the short eighth, which measures just 114 yards.

“It’s only a wedge,” said Charley. “It depends on the wind direction, so it’s a good birdie hole I think.

“There’s a lot more tricky holes out there, but it’s a cool little hole.”

Dame Laura Davies, making her 40th appearance in the championship, has the honour of striking the opening tee shot on Thursday morning at 6.30am.

Danielle Kang paid tribute to Dame Laura Davies, who is playing her 40th Women’s British Open this week at Royal Troon. Picture by TRISTAN JONES

Kang pays tribute to Dame Laura Davies

WORLD No. 2 Danielle Kang has been the form player in recent weeks with back-to-back LPGA wins.

Kang, who came up just short in last week’s LPGA Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club, in North Berwick, which was won by Stacey Lewis, paid tribute to the most successful British player in modern history.

“Dame Laura Davies is a legend, an absolute legend,” said Danielle. “And she’s a role model in how she approaches the game.

“How she plays the game is different – her style of golf is different. And she’s so strong in how she plays her game, yet so different and it’s so graceful.

“For her to be able to play this championship for 40 appearances, that is amazing. It tells you that you can do it for a long time, and golf gives us that.

“Any time she plays, I still watch from across the fairway. She’s our rock.”

Australia’s Hannah Green can’t wait to tackle Troon. The World No. 20 said: “My mum’s side of the family is from Scotland. They are up in Fraserburgh, which is about 45 minutes north of Aberdeen.

“My first actual trip to Scotland was in 2018, so not that long ago. I was then fortunate enough last year that I got to play St Andrews, but I had not actually been to this side of Scotland.

“I’m really excited to be here. I feel like I do have, you know, somewhat of an idea of links golf. I’m from Perth where it does get windy – but probably not the same scene as Troon.”

Japan’s Hinako Shibuno last year’s winner at Woburn Golf Club. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Cinderella Shibuno went to the ball and is back for more

DEFENDING champion Hinako Shibuno, from Japan, has promised the TV audience will at least see her beaming smile this week.

Shibuno lit up the galleries with her smile a year ago at Woburn, and was dubbed the “Smiling Cinderella.”

Hinako said: “I’ve always been conscious of keeping a smile on my face while I’m playing.

“But after winning the AIG Women’s Open last year, it made me realise, once again, the importance of playing with a smile.

“I’ve had a lot of experiences but nothing that tops my experience of winning the AIG Women’s Open.

“I’m going to have to play smart. But at the same time as defending champion, I’m going to enjoy it.”

Another past winner looking forward to the first Major of the year is Thailand’s Ariya Jutangarn.

The 2016 winner from Thailand, said: “As soon as I walked in, I felt like this is a Major, because everything is set up, especially the golf course.

“My caddie told me how great it is and how tough it is, how challenging it is. I think the first thing I learnt on links is patience.

“You really need to be patient because, especially the weather, you can’t control it. It can be windy. It can be raining. Anything can happen in one round.”

The staging of the AIG Women’s Open continues a rich history at Royal Troon, having hosted The Open on nine occasions.

It has also hosted events such as The Senior Open Championship, the Amateur Championship and the Women’s Amateur Championship.

•For further information visit www.AIGwomensopen.com

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Buhai birdies here way into first-round lead at Woburn in AIG Women’s British Open

Andrew Griffin — Fri, 02 Aug 2019 05:00:00 +0000

SOUTH African Ashleigh Buhai fired a seven-under-par opening round of 65 to top the leaderboard at the AIG Women’s British Open, on a day when home favourites Georgia Hall and Charley Hull thrilled the huge crowds at Woburn Golf Club.

Hull birdied the last for a flawless 67, while Hall, the defending champion, described the support during her three-under-par 69 as the highlight of her year.

Japan’s Hinako Shibuno and American Danielle Kang both opened with a 66, and joining Hull on five under were Megan Khang of the USA, Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn and Korean Sung Hyun Park.

The opening day belonged to Buhai, however, who had eight birdies and a bogey.

The 30-year-old has won three times on the Ladies European Tour and was the first player in 101 years to win the South African Women’s Open three times in 2004, 2007 and 2018.

Buhai said: “In my last few tournaments I’ve had three good rounds and one not so good round, so I’m hoping this is the week I can do four good rounds.

“I’m feeling really confident with the putter, and it’s been good the last few weeks, and today I managed to just hit a few more greens and rolled in the putts.

“I felt I’ve been swinging it well, I’m hitting the target and into the zones that my coach and I talk about, and holing some really good putts,” Buhai added.

South African Ashleigh Buhai, first round leader of the AIG Women’s British Open at Woburn. Picture by GETTY IMAGES

Hull, who is chasing her first Major victory, said: “I feel like I’ve been playing well all year, I’ve just struggled to trust myself sometimes, so that’s where I suppose I haven’t been scoring.

“But I just went out there and trusted myself, and I feel like I’m in a good mindset. I just want to go out there and have fun. That’s the main goal this week.

“I really enjoyed it out there. It was good to make a birdie on the second hole, a par-five, because sometimes when there’s an early par-five and you don’t make a birdie, you feel a bit frustrated.

“Sometimes it’s harder when it’s your home golf course because you know where not to hit it as well as where to hit it.

“For instance, the 13th hole, it’s the first time I’ve hit that fairway for about three years, so I was quite happy about that,” Hull, who finished tied for 17th in 2016 when the Marquess Course at Woburn last hosted the Women’s British Open.

Hall was buzzing after her round after she was cheered onto every tee and green.

“I walked to the first tee and I got so much applause from everybody, it was so nice to be there, and I was actually quite nervous, so I was relieved to hit the fairway,” said 23-year-old Hall, from Dorset.

“It’s already the highlight of my year. I’ve had this much support since this time last year, and I think that most of the people out there were out there to support me.

“It’s just an amazing feeling. It’s probably the best I’ve seen this course and one of the best conditions we play all year, so it was really lovely to kind of experience this course.

“It’s important for me to take all the emotions in and really enjoy it. I loved it out there,” added Hall.

For live scoring click here.

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Golf North » Danielle Kang

Hall and Hull happy to be playing first AIG Women’s British Open at Royal Troon

Hull: Rose Series was good prep

Kang pays tribute to Dame Laura Davies

Cinderella Shibuno went to the ball and is back for more

Buhai birdies here way into first-round lead at Woburn in AIG Women’s British Open