English duo hope games are on fire at Ladies Scottish Open, not the course

Georgie Hall and Charley Hull recall ‘crazy’ Wentworth blaze

Georgia Hall is hoping to shine at the Renaissance Club

English duo Georgia Hall and Charley Hull are hoping their games will be on fire in this week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open and not the golf course, writes Martin Dempster.

They were among the players forced to flee the West Course at Wentworth last Friday during the final round of the Rose Ladies Series grand final after a wildfire at nearby Chobham Common.

“I was halfway down the seventh hole and you could just see so much smoke,” said Hall, pictured, the 2018 Women’s Open champion. “Wherever you looked, it was so orange and there was like black ashes just floating all around us.

“I think it was about 20 yards from the 10th tee box, where it got extremely close. It was massive. I’ve never seen anything like that before. We just had to evacuate, and luckily we didn’t have that long a walk in to the clubhouse, but it was very strange.”

Also speaking ahead of the ASI Ladies Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club, Hull described it as “crazy” as smoke swept across the Surrey course. “I saw a 30-foot tree burning and within seconds about 30 yards of land was on fire, it was really bad,” she said. “Everyone was just shocked. No one was running around. It was just more everyone needed to get off the golf course because it wasn’t very safe.”

In contrast, players are feeling extremely safe in the “bio-bubble” in place for this week’s event, with Danielle Kang, the world No 2, joining a chorus of praise for the protocols in place.

“Scotland has been super welcoming. It’s definitely exceeded my expectation,” she said. “We are really strict in how we are moving about. No one has any intent on breaking any rules, but it’s more for the safety for us and safety for people in the country.

“I wasn’t really that nervous coming over here. I just thought it was interesting being able to fly international because there has been so much talk about not being able to fly from country to country. I felt excited more than anything to come here.”

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