Georgia Hall targets fairytale finish to 'home' major at AIG Women's Open

09 August 2023 , 08:00

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Georgia Hall celebrates with the trophy in 2018 (Image: David Cannon Collection)

For Georgia Hall, it will be an AIG Women’s Open like no other.

The 27-year-old will arrive at Walton Heath with the primary of goal of recapturing the major she won at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club. And five years on from her finest hour, and the final round 67 that cemented her place in golfing folklore, there’s one thing she knows she can bank on.

A short drive from where she lives, if a tournament represented a ‘home’ major for Hall, this is it. And the guarantee of vociferous support, albeit with the caveat of additional focus and expectation, is a notion she’s relishing.

“The AIG Women’s Open is my favourite event of the year,” she told Mirror Sport . “I want it more than any other. It feels like my major and winning it close to home would mean so much to me. I have prioritised this and that’s why I took a week off beforehand. I didn’t play the Scottish Open even though I love it.”

And far from hinder her, Hall argued the extra frenzy that will accompany her progress will only prove positive “It’s a great chance for my friends and families to come and watch,” she added. “It’s always my busiest week of the year for media, but having all that support on the first tee will by far the best feeling. I don’t feel pressure or anything negative by it, and will play well because of that.”

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But the prospect of being a local hero is far from the only notion Hall is set to embrace this week. This year’s tournament will be revolutionary for aspects of course, irrespective of how the play pans out on the greens and fairways. In a bid to attract a new, younger, and predominantly female audience to the concert of women’s golf, Walton Heath are putting on a show. Quite literally.

Live music will accompany the weekend days, with Ellie Goulding performing for spectators - and players - on Saturday night. A festival village will incorporate a fun golf zone with activities designed to introduce fans to the sport, as well as interactive golf experiences. A Women in Sport summit will also take place on a specially designed festival stage, featuring talks and panel discussions with world renowned female sporting figures.

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Georgia Hall celebrates with the trophy in 2018 (David Cannon Collection)

And Hall is lauding the changes: “It will attract a lot of attention, a lot of crowds,” she enthused. “I think the concert on Saturday with Ellie Goulding will be amazing, it’s the first time this has happened and it will be a great evening for everyone.”

Even the menus have been revamped, with a new food and drink offering this year offering a diverse mix of food street traders: “At the Open we’ll have the best women’s players in their world from loads of different cultures,” added Hall. “That’s what’s best about the event, it brings all people from all walks of life together. The food, it’s great for spectators to try different things while they’re supporting us. When I play in the US or in Asia I’d love to see fish and chips there.”

Whilst the latter comment was made partly in jest, Hall is adamant that such changes can inspire an upturn in participation. And she doesn’t want this week to become as isolated idea: “There’s no reason this can’t happen every year,” she argued. “I think it’s great it’s happening for the first time. Not just prioritising golf but spectators and the whole experience. That will only help going forward.”

Hall has been as high as No 8 in the world this year (Getty)

Hall, 27, thinks the tournament this week can attract a younger audience (Getty Images)

But more specifically, what can that help lead to? “A younger following,” she answered. “I’d love to see the younger girls - and boys - out there following us players. I think it’s really important for them to see that we are the world’s best and what they can do if they want to be professional.

“Our numbers are still quite low regarding women and girls in particular. There wasn’t loads for me to look up to when I was younger but there’s definitely more now, Myself, Charlie (Hull), and so on, from the UK who are playing well. It’s improving, year by year, but we have to keep going that way.”

Hall acknowledges that media coverage, not to mention purses amid the involvement of AIG, has improved “incredibly” since she herself turned professional back in 2014. She also noted that female members in club’s around the UK was now, on contrast to her own teenage years, far more commonplace.

“When I was a youngster there was me and one other girl at my club. Now there’s far more. Any discrimination against women’s golf is fading away for sure.”

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Hall will be a short drive from home this week (Getty Images)

Back to her own prospects in Walton Heath, and Hall will have to address something else that’s faded away of late. A strong start to 2023 catapulted her to No 8 in the world, a placing that has since slipped to 15. She finished tied for 36th at the Amundi Evian Championship last last month, but despite a minor dip in form, remains confident of a fairytale finish come Sunday evening.

“My initial goal was to get in world top 10 by end of the year and I did that,” she said. “That changed my outlook. I don’t have a massive weakness and that’s the key to playing well.”

The inevitable support will provide another key to Hall’s hopes of becoming a two-time major winner. But if all goes to plan, these four days of golf on the outskirts will not only serve as a golden time in her career, but also a defining one in the women’s game making itself more appealing for the generations to come.

Hall knows she can win. But if she doesn’t, she knows the game of golf still will.

Fraser Watson