Hall completes long road back

England’s Lisa Hall admits her victory in the ANZ Ladies’ Masters in Australia earlier this month completed her rehabilitation after she came close to quitting the game.

The 40-year-old’s victory earned her a place in the elite 78-strong field for the new HSBC Women’s Champions starting tomorrow in Singapore.

Challenging for a share of the £1m purse confirms a return to the good times for the Stoke-on-Trent player.

Hall, the 1997 LPGA Rookie of the Year and a Solheim Cup player, came close to quitting after a loss of form but following a return to the Ladies’ European Tour two years ago, she has now earned her place back among the world’s elite.

Over the next four days, she joins Wales’ Becky Morgan and Scottish trio, Catriona Matthew, Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay, at Tanah Merah Country Club.

Hall said: “The win in Australia completed a long journey back.

“It is wonderful to be here this week in one of the best tournaments in women’s golf.

“It’s great to have made such a good start to 2008 and, hopefully, I can keep it gong.”

Matthew has been the top British player on the LPGA Tour for several seasons, and this is her first start of the year.

Last season, she won the Scandinavian TPC in Europe and had six top tens, three of them in the women’s majors.

Mexico’s world number one Lorena Ochoa, the Ricoh Women’s British Open Champion, launches her 2008 season, but will have a wary eye on Annika Sorenstam.

The Swede slipped from the top of the world rankings after back and neck injuries last year, but won the SBS Open in Hawaii two weeks ago and has her sights set on reclaiming the top spot.

“I had a good off season and strength-wise I feel I’m close to being back to where I was two years ago,” said the 37-year-old. “One positive about the injury problems was that it gave me the motivation to get back.

“The win in Hawaii was nice in that it got 2007 behind me and now I want to get back to where I was.”