Confidence has been key for Lydia Hall over the first two days at the Big Green Egg Open with the Welsh player back to her best as she chases win number two on the Ladies European Tour (LET).
After matching her best round of the season in round one – a 69 (-3) which included seven birdies – Hall went one better on Saturday posting a 68 (-4) to storm into contention at Hilversumsche Golf Club.
Currently tied with seven plays with one round remaining, the 35-year-old has credited a change in confidence to her fine play as she heads into a Sunday showdown in the Netherlands.
“I’m really happy with the last two days of work,” Hall said – whose best finish this season came in her opening event at the Lalla Meryem Cup (T19). “It’s been a rough patch this last 12 months but the game is slowly starting to come together and slowly the mental side is also starting to join.”
After a string of birdies yesterday placed her inside the top-10, Hall produced much of the same on Saturday posting seven red numbers including a clutch birdie on her closing hole, the par-4 9th.
“It’s all about confidence,” she explained. “As in any sport, but especially golf, as soon as your confidence starts to drop then your confidence gets worse. Slowly my confidence has starting building with the work I’ve been doing with my psychologist over the past three to four months and things are starting to pay off.”
While the one-time LET winner, whose solo victory came in 2012 at the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters, has also been boosted by the help of a new caddie over the past month.
“His name is Sean Hedger,” Hall said. “He was a local caddie who caddied for me at the Scottish Open, but he’s a really good golfer who’s off +3 himself. He’s actually moving to Australia so he’s pushed his flights back five weeks to do the last stretch [of the season] for me.
“But it’s been a great partnership, he’s so knowledgeable and he’s massively helped me read the greens. We’ve got a great vibe going and he’s helped to build my confidence as well which has really helped.”
With her confidence flying high, Hall moves into Sunday at the Big Green Egg Open well in the mix as she chases victory number two on the LET.
“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” she continued. “I just need to keep doing what I’m doing which is obviously working at the moment. Staying in the moment, the boring old saying of one shot at a time but it literally is that. Not getting too far ahead of myself and doing what I can.”
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