DORSET’S Georgia Hall chose the ideal occasion to card her first hole-in-one – the timely ace helping her claim the prestigious ladies’ British Amateur Championship on Saturday.

The 17-year-old holed her tee shot on the 17th to dramatically take the lead for the first time in the final against Spain’s Luna Sobron at a windswept Machynys Peninsula in South Wales.

And the Remedy Oak member, who was Europe’s top woman amateur last year, held her nerve to register a half on the par five 18th, earning her a memorable triumph by one hole.

Hall, who attended Oakmead School, was crowned British girls’ amateur champion in August and is believed to be the first player to hold both titles at the same time.

She said: “I am so happy I can hardly speak. To get my first hole-in-one and win the British championship is like a dream come true.

“I was behind all the way, in just about the strongest wind I had ever played in, but I never gave up. I knew I had to be patient and wait for things to turn my way and they did.”

Hall, who knocked out Ferndown’s Hayley Davis in the second round, has been a member at Remedy Oak for the past three years.

Nigel Tokely, head pro and director of golf at the Horton-based club, told the Echo: “We are very pleased and proud of Georgia’s achievements.

“We had a prize-giving evening at the beginning of the year and she was honoured for all her achievements during last year so she is clearly going from strength to strength.

“Georgia is a great ambassador for the golf club and is a very amiable and level-headed girl. She has already proved what a great golfing brain and temperament she has so I think she could go all the way.”

The final was played in strong winds, sometimes gusting up to gale force, and Hall had to draw on all her resources after going behind on several occasions.

She fought back from two down after eight and 11, winning both the 13th and 16th to get back on level terms before sensationally holing her tee shot on 17 – a nine-iron at the 154-yard hole – to go one up with one to play, a lead she preserved at the last.

  • Dorset’s Kevin Spurgeon finished tied 38th in the Wales Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl. He banked 1,466 euro for his efforts.