Mo Martin from the United States was the surprise winner of the Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale, earning her first LPGA event at a Major, helped by a stunning eagle on the 18th hole.
Mo Martin from the United States was the surprise winner of the Women's British Open at Royal Birkdale, earning her first LPGA event at a Major.
The 31-year old from California made the shot of her life on the par-5 18th hole – a 3-wood that hit the pin to leave a six feet putt that she made to secure an eagle for a total of 287, one under-par.
Martin had signed her card for a closing 72 - the joint lowest round on a blustery final day - and was ready for a likely play-off against South Korean Inbee Park or Norwegian Suzann Pettersen.
Overnight leader Park needed a birdie on the last to tie, but uncharacteristically hit her tee shot into thick rough and took a bogey, while Pettersen finished with a birdie when she needed an eagle to tie.
After an anxious hour’s wait on the driving range, the news was eventually delivered and she burst into laughter before embracing her caddie Kyle Morrison. She was then driven back to the 18th green and sprayed in champagne.
“It’s still soaking in, along with the champagne on my jacket. This is just unbelievable. It’s literally a dream come true” said the delighted champion.
The victory also continued the rise of American women’s golf, as this was the first time since 1999 that American women had won the first three majors in a single season, following Lexi Thompson and Michelle Wie’s victories at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and US Women’s Open respectively.
Martin opened the championship with successive rounds of 69 to lead the by three strokes at the halfway point, but slipped back with a third round of 77. She started the final round three strokes behind Park but held steady in the windy conditions with gusts of up to 30 miles per hour.
The £277,887 first prize will help to keep the Califonian ranch of Martin’s much loved grandfather who passed away earlier this year at the grand age of 102.
“We weren’t quite sure we were going to be able to keep the ranch, but it’s a very special place for me. It’s my sanctuary, and it’s nice to have all the memories that I have with grandpa and it’s an incredible place,” said Martin.
England’s recently appointed dame, Laura Davies, showed that ‘life begins at 50’ with a stunning final round of 73, which lifted her into a share of ninth position on four-over-par with American Marina Alex and South Korean Sun-Ju Ahn.
Some 28 years since winning the 1986 British Open at Royal Birkdale, Davies finished as the leading home player. Meanwhile Charley Hull, whose third round of 66 was the lowest of the tournament, ended a stroke further behind on five-over-par in a tie for 12th place with Gwladys Nocera, Anna Nordqvist, the 2013 champion Stacy Lewis and Azahara Munoz.
American Emma Talley finished a stroke back on six-over-par in a share of 17th place and won the Smyth Salver and the leading amateur, three strokes ahead of England’s Georgia Hall.
Collated Final Scores:
287 - Mo Martin (USA) 69 69 77 72
288 - Shanshan Feng (CHN) 73 71 69 75, Suzann Pettersen (NOR) 72 73 68 75
289 - Inbee Park (KOR) 72 72 68 77
291 - Julieta Granada (PAR) 72 70 72 77, Eun-Hee Ji (KOR) 74 70 71 76, Jessica Korda (USA) 72 72 73 74, Angela Stanford (USA) 74 72 70 75
292 - Marina Alex (USA) 72 76 68 76, Laura Davies (ENG) 75 72 72 73, Sun-Ju Ahn (KOR) 75 67 71 79
293 - Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 72 78 71 72, Gwladys Nocera (FRA) 73 70 73 77, Stacy Lewis (USA) 71 74 70 78, Charley Hull (ENG) 73 76 66 78, Azahara Munoz (ESP) 72 72 74 75
294 - Emma Talley (USA) 72 73 76 73, Beatriz Recari (ESP) 74 67 74 79, So Yeon Ryu (KOR) 71 70 74 79, Amelia Lewis (USA) 72 71 71 80
295 - Meena Lee (KOR) 73 75 70 77, Paula Creamer (USA) 75 73 71 76, Giulia Sergas (ITA) 76 73 72 74, Erina Hara (JPN) 73 74 73 75, Morgan Pressel (USA) 70 74 75 76, Amy Yang (KOR) 71 72 72 80
296 - Pornanong Phatlum (THA) 73 74 75 74, Rikako Morita (JPN) 75 75 68 78
297 - Mina Harigae (USA) 70 78 74 75, Jenny Shin (KOR) 73 72 73 79, Ayaka Watanabe (JPN) 76 72 75 74, Georgia Hall (ENG) 73 72 78 74, Jiyai Shin (KOR) 72 75 71 79, Lee-Anne Pace (RSA) 75 73 72 77, Lydia Ko (NZL) 72 76 69 80, Belen Mozo (ESP) 77 72 74 74, Carlota Ciganda (ESP) 74 75 73 75
298 - Chella Choi (KOR) 73 73 72 80, Sophie Giquel-bettan (FRA) 76 69 73 80, Brittany Lincicome (USA) 76 72 72 78, Nikki Campbell (AUS) 77 72 73 76, Mika Miyazato (JPN) 78 72 70 78
299 - Brittany Lang (USA) 73 75 74 77, Alison Walshe (USA) 74 76 74 75
300 - Jeong Jang (KOR) 73 74 74 79, Haru Nomura (JPN) 75 73 76 76, Ai Miyazato (JPN) 72 73 72 83, Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) 75 68 75 82, Valentine Derrey (FRA) 79 70 77 74, Karine Icher (FRA) 76 72 71 81
301 - Thidapa Suwannapura (THA) 76 74 73 78, Dori Carter (USA) 73 76 75 77, Alena Sharp (CAN) 74 76 76 75
302 - Ayako Uehara (JPN) 68 79 72 83, Christina Kim (USA) 79 71 75 77, Lexi Thompson (USA) 72 77 78 75, Diana Luna (ITA) 76 72 75 79
303 - Miki Saiki (JPN) 76 71 73 83, Sarah Kemp (AUS) 70 79 74 80, Ji Young Oh (KOR) 76 73 78 76, Jee Young Lee (KOR) 76 72 76 79
304 - Vikki Laing (SCO) 78 68 78 80, Xi Yu Lin (CHN) 74 74 75 81, Hannah Jun (USA) 75 71 81 77, Austin Ernst (USA) 76 73 77 78
305 - Il Hee Lee (KOR) 76 74 76 79
306 - Hee Young Park (KOR) 76 72 79 79
308 - Kristy Mcpherson (USA) 74 76 73 85
310 - Beth Allen (USA) 77 73 75 85
313 - Becky Brewerton (WAL) 77 73 78 85