Georgia Hall Photo: Frederic Stevens
England’s Georgia Hall recorded her first win as a professional at the Open Generali de Strasbourg with a four shot victory over a trio of players, finishing at 10 under par.
The former European ladies number one amateur started the day at Golf de Strasbourg in a tie for the lead with France’s Cassandra Kirkland and Vittoria Valvassori from Italy at 6 under par and the talented young player pulled ahead with birdies on the 3rd and 4th holes. The 18-year-old then bogeyed the 5th and 8th holes and Kirkland birdied the 6th to pull ahead by a shot.
Four birdies in a row from the 10th to the 13th gave Hall the momentum to forge a comfortable lead, which she consolidated with pars on the final five holes. The former Curtis Cup player was keen to secure her first professional win and adopting a calm approach had assisted in achieving her goal.
“I was really happy to win. I tried to play steadily throughout the whole week, keep a level head and not think about it. In the last round I thought, I’m in this position and I don’t want to give it away. I just wanted to play well and try and hole putts, and that’s what I did.”
Kirkland and Valvassori we unable to hang on to Hall’s coat tails, both players completing the final nine holes in one over par. The Frenchwoman finished in a tie for second place at 6 under par, alongside Denmark’s Daisy Nielsen (71) and Belgian Manon de Roey, who finished as the top amateur.
German amateur Franziska Friedrich and Tonje Daffinrud from Norway shot matching 68’s to both finish in a tie for 5th place. Italy’s Vittoria Valvassori slumped to a final round 74, finishing tied 7th with Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen at 4 under par. Swiss player Melanie Maetzler shot one over par to sit in 9th place.
Sweden’s Emma Westin, who did not compete in this week’s event, remained at the top of the LETAS order of merit with Isabella Ramsay and Lina Boqvist edging a little closer, both finishing tied for 10th with leading French amateur Marion Veyssere.
Hall’s victory took her up to 13th place on the LETAS order of merit. She will miss the Azores Ladies Open next week and compete in the final two events of the season, the Grecotel Amirandes Ladies Open (10 – 12 October) in Crete and the WPGA International Challenge (16 – 18 October), which will be contested over the Marlborough Course at Stoke by Nayland Hotel Golf & Spa in England.
The Englishwoman will require two very strong finishes if she is to earn her LET playing rights for the 2015 season. The top five players on the order of merit will progress directly to the Ladies European Tour for next year.
Isabella Ramsay topped the Generali Ladies Tour order of merit, earning an invitation to the Lacoste Ladies Open de France Feminin, which takes place from the 2 – 5 October at Chantaco Golf Club in Aquitaine. French amateur Marion Veyssere will also receive an invitation, due to her finish as the top French amateur this week.
