Editor’s Note: July’s edition of Living Golf looks ahead to the 147th British Open. You can watch it by following this link.
Last year was a big one for Georgia Hall.
In December 2017, she was crowned Europe’s No. 1 female golfer having won the Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit.
It followed other notable achievements, including seven top-10 finishes from just 10 LET events and a career-best tie for third at the Women’s British Open.
Hall even enjoyed a standout performance during her first Solheim Cup appearance, announcing herself to the wider golfing world by scoring two points during Europe’s defeat to the US.
But despite this success Hall is changed her caddy. Last October, the position was handed to her boyfriend, Harry Tyrrell.
“I finished off last year with him and we’ve had some good results,” the 22-year-old told CNN’s Living Golf. “It’s great to have company as well, because it can be very lonely traveling.”
“The first time I caddied for her, in Abu Dhabi, I just loved everything about it,” added Tyrrell. “We had a great time and a really good event. It’s great to have each other.”
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Combining personal and professional relationships can be tricky but Hall insists their new working arrangement hasn’t affected life at home.
“We never let golf get in the way of our personal relationship,” she explained. “There are things in life that are more important.”
“When we’re on the course, he knows when I get stressed and how to calm me down, he’s great,” she added. “We’re very relaxed, so it’s going good.”
In the couple’s first tournament together in November last year, Hall finished second. “This was followed up with a tie for 21st finish in the season-closing Dubai Ladies Classic.
Their first significant achievement came at LPGA Tour Qualifying School, where Hall finished tied for fifth to earn playing privileges on the more lucrative American LPGA circuit for 2018.
“It’s a lot more golf,” Hall said of graduating to the LPGA. “Last year I played about 15 events and this year I’m going to play roughly 28.”
“It’s great to play for more prize money and play with better players.”
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Hall’s trademark consistency is yet to translate to the US circuit, though.
From 12 LPGA Tour starts this year she’s managed just two top-25 finishes.
To compound matter, her four missed cuts so far in 2018 is only one fewer than during her entire career in Europe.
She plans to return to the Ladies European Tour towards the end of the year, in the hope that she can make a late charge to defend the Order of Merit title she won at a canter last season.
Though she’s only made two appearances on the LET so far in 2018, Hall still sits 12th in the points standings.
But despite the added pressures of playing on two circuits and dealing with the increased expectation, the couple still finds the time for some healthy competition when they tee it up against each other.
Tyrrell, who is an aspiring tour pro himself, says: “She never lets me win, but when I occasionally do she’s not happy and I can’t tell anybody!”
“He tells everyone,” jokes Hall. “But it’s nice to play against someone who’s a good player and to have that competition when I’m practicing.”
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For Hall, there’s still plenty of good golf to come. With the 2018 Women’s British Open just around the corner, she’ll be hoping for to build on 2017’s success in her home major.
If she does, the rising star may just become the superstar. And no one would be happier than the man on her bag.
