Women's British Open: Final round notebook
Pettersen putter lets her down
Suzann Pettersen had plenty of positives after finishing tied for second in a season that has been blighted by injury.
The Norwegian began with a double-bogey and had another 12 holes later but still battled to get within a shot of the eventual winner Mo Martin.
A brilliant up-and-down at the 16th, which came within one roll of going in, set up a late rally which saw her birdie the last two holes. The final tally of 75 left her on level par.
“It was most challenging on the greens, the wind on your body, the pace. I just got a little bit off and hit a little bit too defensive putts.
“But overall I’m back and feel like I’m in a good spot now. It’s hard to say kind of where you could have picked up that one shot or other, because you try your hardest and you try to make every putt, but my putter probably let me down on a couple of occasions.”
Feng unaware of situation
China’s Shanshan Feng admitted that she didn’t know that she needed a closing birdie to match Mo Martin’s winning score.
Feng, winner of the 2012 LPGA Championship, came to the 18th requiring a birdie but then leaked her 5-iron into the greenside bunker.
“I forced my second shot and missed it in the bunker. After I finished I looked at the board and somebody is at -1 and I already finished.”
But the 24-year-old wouldn’t have done anything different if the situation arose again.
“I have a habit that I don’t look at the boards during my play. I was still going for my birdie or eagle but I missed it.”
Hull unable to build on Saturday 66
Charley Hull had a steep learning curve as Saturday’s 66 – the best round of the week – was followed by a 78.
The 18-year-old had to wait until the 17th for her first birdie, she had nine in total in the third round, as leaked tee shots and approaches saw three successive shots slip away from the 9th.
When she did look like making some inroads, as she did when finding the par-5 6th with two magnificent blows, she three putted.
However this was a week to remember for the teenager, she had previously missed both cuts in this event, rather than to forget and plenty will have been learnt, particularly having spent three days with the World No 1 Stacy Lewis.
“I played rubbish to be honest. I was a bit nervous because the ball was moving so I didn’t want to put the putter down so you’re just thinking about stuff like that.
“I made a few bogeys in the middle of my round where I kind of thought I’m out of it. But then a couple of holes later I think, no, I’m actually still in it. That comes with experience.
“You don’t always have to make birdie which I was trying to force sometimes when my iron shots wouldn’t come off.”
Hull finished in a tie for 12th.
Davies still going strong at 50
For the fourth day running Dame Laura Davies birdied the 18th to edge her way into a share of 9th spot.
The oldest player in the field, winner here in 1986 before the event became a Major, began the day in 28th but produced a succession of pars to move up the leaderboard.
“The first two holes I hit 2-iron for my second into the 1st, 3-iron into the 2nd and that’s par 4s, not par 5s. That’s normally a different game. It was a lot of long irons, a 5-iron into 16 came up short.
“I need as much money to keep my card in America so this could be a good week.”
Davies’ eventual finish was her first top-10 Major finish since the LPGA Championship in 2005.
"You don’t always have to make birdie which I was trying to force sometimes when my iron shots" – Charley Hull Amateur honours for Talley
Emma Talley claimed the Smyth Salver as the leading amateur after a round of 73 left her on six over. The 19-year-old won the US Amateur last year and was part of the winning Curtis Cup side recently.
“Going into the week all I wanted to do was play well. Making the cut was great and now being the top amateur was even better.”
England’s Georgia Hall, who shared the award in 2013 with Lydia Ko, finished three shots behind after a very impressive 74 in the murkiest of the weather. Hall birdied 16 and 17 in a back nine of one under.
