Charley Hull will go down as the first winner on the Rose Ladies Series. Hull, a four-time European Solheim Cupper and winner of the 2016 CME Group Tour championship, fired an even-par 70 at Thursday’s one-day event at Brokenhurst Manor in Brokenhurst, England. In fact, Hull defeated Brokenhurst’s own Liz Young in a playoff for the honor.
Hull was presented with a check for £5,000 (about $6,260) for her efforts. She eventually won by making a 15-footer for birdie on the first extra hole.
Hull, who last competed in January at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in Florida, had birdied Nos. 15 and 16 at Brokenhurst to reach 2 under before a double-bogey at No. 17 brought her back to even par and into a tie with Young, who had fired her number early and waited round the clubhouse on an overcast and windy day.
Scores | Rose series provides more than a place to play
Note that Young’s role in this event was more than just that of competitor. She has played the Ladies European Tour for 12 years, and had initially planned an event at her home club of Brokenhurst where fellow LET players would pay into a pot and then play for that money.
According to a story in The Telegraph, PGA Tour player Justin Rose and his wife, Kate, helped grow that one-off event into the Rose Ladies Series to help women’s professional golf make the kind of return that men’s professional golf is making.
“Justin’s name is so much more important than the money,” Young told the Telegraph. “It brings in so much more. With his big profile comes all the support, if you are looking at it from a media, social media and fan club point of view, he brings all that with his name.”
Young played the 2016 Women’s British Open while seven months pregnant with her daughter, Isabelle, her only child. Young is No. 503 in the world and has not played a competitive event in six months.
Behind Hull and Young at even par, Gabriella Cowley was third at 1-over 71.
Notably, Alice Hewson, a recent Clemson graduate who played the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and appeared on the GB&I Curtis Cup team, was part of a tie for fifth.
Dame Laura Davies fired a 7-over 77 to wind up in a tie for 18th.
The Rose Ladies Series continues June 25 at Moor Park Golf Club.
[lawrence-related id=778048358,778047676,778047522]