Hall wins British Masters

Lydia Hall held her nerve in the closing stages to win the Ladies' British Masters as Beth Allen's hopes were wrecked at the penultimate hole.

The American led for much of the final day at Buckinghamshire Golf Club but took seven at the par-four 17th to hand the lead to Hall.

And the 24-year-old Welshwoman could afford to finish with a bogey and still win by a stroke on seven under par.

The final round had started with South Africa's Ashleigh Simon two strokes clear but she quickly relinquished her hold on the lead.

Simon's six-under-par 66 yesterday contained five successive birdies from the fifth and then an eagle at the 10th - seven under for six holes - but ended with three three-putt bogeys in the final eight holes.

She birdied the second today but followed that success with two successive bogey fives, allowing Allen and Hall to edge ahead with birdies at the two par-fives on the outward nine.

Hall made the first move after the turn with a birdie at 11, but promptly double-bogeyed the next to leave Allen in the lead.

Both players bogeyed the 13th - as did Simon - before regaining the dropped shot at the 14th, meaning it came down to the closing stretch of holes.

Hall's par at the 17th was to prove crucial, with Allen seeing her challenge go up in flames while Simon also took six.

Suddenly holding a two-stroke lead, Hall could afford to let one slip away as Allen could only manage a par.

Sweden's Mikaela Parmlid had briefly threatened to come into contention after birdies at 10, 13 and 14 took her to seven under, but she dropped shots at 15 and 18 and had to settle for a place in the six-strong group sharing third place on five under.

That also included Simon and her compatriot Stacy Lee Bregman, English pair Trish Johnson and Henrietta Zuel and Australian Rebecca Artis.

Caroline Martens' 67 equalled the day's best round and lifted the Norwegian to a four-under finish, sharing ninth place with Denmark's Lisa Holm Sorensen.

Swiss rookie Anais Magetti matched Martens' round to finish three under, while Spaniard Carlota Ciganda's 69 was the only other sub-70 round.