Superstitious Hall banks on consistency in Singapore

Georgia Hall of England attends a press conference ahead of the HSBC Women's World Championship 2019 at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore, on Feb 26, 2019.
PHOTO: AFP

When golfer Georgia Hall won the Women's British Open last year, her father Wayne wore the same socks for four consecutive days.

It turned out to be a lucky charm as she won her maiden Major by two strokes (17-under 271).

For the HSBC Women's World Championship starting tomorrow at the Sentosa Golf Club, Hall's boyfriend and caddie Harry Tyrrell may have to do the same.

"If I do good in the first round, I might tell him to keep the same ones on. But definitely throw them away at the end of the week," Hall, who has many superstitious routines, said at a press conference yesterday.

"Before I tee off, and this is quite weird, I have to count my golf clubs to make sure it's 14, but I have to touch every one, twice."

The 22-year-old will also wear the same pair of shoes for the whole tournament.

"It's got to be the same ones because I feel that (any other pair, even if it's the same model) might be different," Hall said.

The Englishwoman was not finished with listing her superstitions.

"I've marked the ball the same way ever since I can remember, which is three dots beside Titleist and my initials in the middle. Every one's got to be the same colour - red," she added.

Hall turned professional in 2014 after winning the British Ladies Amateur Golf Championship the previous year.

While she became the first Briton since 2004 to win last August's British Open, she is still coming to grips with the victory.

"To be honest, me winning still hasn't sunk in at all. Even though I know I have, I still don't believe it because... it's my only dream growing up, so it's still strange," she added.

"Because of that, I think I'm still slightly the same person. But, if I am playing bad on a hole or I'm struggling, I do say to myself, 'Georgia, you won the British Open'."

The world No. 10 will have to channel that confidence to the New Tanjong Course as she battles the world's top golfers including defending champion Michelle Wie and top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn for the title.

"Obviously, I'd love to win it, but (at last year's tournament, where she finished joint-48th with an even-par 288 total), I had some really good rounds and then I had some poor rounds that kind of got me out of the tournament.

"So I think my main thing is just consistency with four rounds."

Hall also revealed her dislike for social media, saying that if she were not a professional golfer, she would not have any social media accounts.

She currently has accounts on Twitter and Instagram where her posts are mainly about golf.

"It's great for people to know what I'm doing and, if I play this week and how I finish in a tournament, I think it's good for people who want to follow me," she said.

"But I think a lot of social media sometimes does more harm than good to people, and it makes, especially women, think that they are not good enough.

"I don't think it's good but for golf, I think it's good."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 27, 2019, with the headline Superstitious Hall banks on consistency in Singapore. Subscribe