Georgia Hall owns a major title but until Sunday, she had never logged an LPGA victory on U.S. soil. The 24-year-old can check it off her list after prevailing in a playoff with Ashleigh Buhai at the Cambia Portland Classic.
Hall turned in a final-round 68 but with bogey on her final hole, fell to 12 under and into the playoff with Buhai, who was looking for her first career LPGA title.
The pair went two extra holes at Columbia Edgewater Country Club before Buhai was eliminated with a bogey on the par-4 first hole.
“I was pretty nervous so I kind of took that into consideration, what club I was hitting because of the adrenaline. I’m really happy to get over the line and get my first American win,” said Hall.
Hall won the Women’s British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes in 2018, becoming the first English major champion since Karen Stupples in 2004. In 2019, she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire as part of the Queen’s birthday honors.
Scores: Cambia Portland Classic
Hall has worked hard on her chipping, particularly coming into the Portland event. She finished second two years ago on a course she thinks suits her game. She didn’t want that to happen again.
After winning her major title in August of 2018, Hall didn’t win another major event again until this week. She won two one-day Rose Ladies Series events in July.
“I kind of had a 50-50 year last year where my first half wasn’t very good, my second half was good,” she said. “It’s just kind of taking it one tournament at a time and not really focusing on too much of the future. My goal this year was to win in America and I’m really glad I’ve done that.”
That winning feeling 🏆🍾@georgiahall96 | @CallawayGolf | @PortlandClassic pic.twitter.com/WVmDtKiqs0
— LPGA (@LPGA) September 21, 2020
Before the event, Hall was ranked No. 55 in the Rolex Rankings. The Portland victory should give her a rankings bump as well as a confidence bump.
“Obviously this will get my world ranking down quite a lot,” she said. “Now it’s kind of re-evaluate. Obviously I’d love to get another win, but I’m just going to let this all sink in. I’ve got a nice week off now so I’m just going to enjoy it and celebrate any chance I have, even though it’s hard because of COVID.”
Hall isn’t sure she properly enjoyed her Women’s British Open victory. She won’t make that mistake this time.
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