Georgia Hall’s 2018 Ricoh Women’s Open victory was significant for many reasons. Firstly, she was only the third player from England to win the Women’s Open. Secondly, it was hosted in the same course where Catriona Matthew became the only second person from England to win this major. But for Hall, the 2018 triumph was more meaningful. 

It was her first-ever victory across the LET and LPGA Tour, which she joined that year only. On top of it, the home victory came in front of her family members. However, Hall had never revisited the clip of her teary-eyed speech. Until the R&A team sat with her and she provided a sort of background commentary to it. 

Georgia Hall dedicated her victory to her granddad. “There’s someone special at home who’s going through a very bad time, so this is for you, Grandad,” Hall said from the podium. She revealed that her sister recorded the entire prize-giving ceremony and sent it to their granddad. She later posed with the trophy with him.

It was actually a very close-knit family affair. Her dad, Wayne, was in her bag. Hall reminded the audience that her father was not a professional caddie. So, the bulk of decision-making was on her shoulders. There was only one yardage book on the team and that was with Hall. She did all the calculations and strategizing without a caddie’s input. 

Of course, Hall didn’t see it as a downside. Rather, after winning with an inexperienced caddie on her bag, Hall had a realization. “Sometimes I had to realize that you don’t need all these people or you don’t… you know… as long as you are mentally in a good place and that you know you have confidence in what you’re doing… is you know… it doesn’t really matter what [else is going] around.”

Hall added that she sometimes had to remind herself, that she got there on her own. Indeed, winning the Women’s Open in your rookie year is not luck; it’s years of hard work. Perhaps it might seem like destiny that she won the first title ever with her dad in her bag. After all, Wayne named her daughter after a very special day in British golf.

The curious connection of Georgia Hall’s 2018 Women’s Open triumph

Georgia Hall’s father introduced her to the game. In fact, she was named Georgia after Augusta National. Hall was born in 1996, the very same year Sir Nick Faldo bagged his third Masters title and the last of his six majors. But that’s not all. 

Notably, Tom Lehman won the Open Championship the very same year Hall was born. Curiously enough, it was on the same course: Royal Lytham and St Annes. Hall revealed she was in touch with the 1996 Open champion two weeks prior. Hall got some nice advice from the veteran. It would seem that the stars were truly aligned for Georgia Hall in 2018.