Hall hits the jackpot

Lisa Hall’s numbers came up again as she fired a six-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke victory at the ANZ Ladies Masters in Australia today.

The Englishwoman came from one stroke behind the three overnight leaders Shin Hyun-ju, Tamie Durdin and defending champion Karrie Webb to post a three-round winning total of 13-under-par 203.

Hall believed she was destined for victory after a midweek trip to the casino.

She said: “We went to the casino earlier this week on Tuesday and 11 is my number. We walked in and went to the roulette table and 11 was the first one in.

“I said to (my caddie) Mardi, ’We’re going to win the tournament’. We knew the result before the week started.”

Hall was handed the title after Shin three-putted the last when faced with a 25-foot birdie chance for victory.

“It was shocking,” said the 40-year-old Hall, who is originally from Stoke.

“It wasn’t shocking in that she didn’t make it because in golf anything can happen but at that point it was the realisation that I had won.

“I certainly thought I’d be in a play-off. In golf, all sorts of things can happen so I was on the lucky end of it today I think.

“I wouldn’t wish badly on her (Shin) but I was quite relieved that it didn’t go in.”

Speaking through an interpreter, a tearful Shin said: “Over the three days, I never missed a short putt. There was so much pressure, but it was a bad stroke.”

She added: “The first time I played when I was 13 years old was when I came to Australia. I really wanted a victory but I’m happy to be second.”

England’s Felicity Johnson fired a tournament best of seven-under-par 65 in the final round to share third place with Sweden’s Louise Stahle, who had a 67.

Johnson said: “I didn’t make any bogeys, which was key today. It was a lot windier this afternoon than it was yesterday. It was playing a bit tougher.

“I was trying to keep the ball in play, hit the right spots on the greens and just try and avoid three putts.”

Hall, who resides in West Palm Beach, Florida with her golf coach husband Martin, has now qualified to play in this month’s HSBC Champions’ event in Singapore.