AIG Women’s Open: Georgia Hall says female athletes who return to professional sport after becoming parents deserve more recognition | Golf News

Georgia Hall believes society does not talk enough about how difficult it is for female athletes to return to elite sport after having children.

Hall, aged 30, welcomed a baby boy in February and returned to the Ladies European Tour (LET) at the Jabra Ladies Open de France in May, having not played professionally since August 2025.

The English golfer is now preparing to return to Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club, the site of her sole major championship victory, for the AIG Women’s Open on July 30, live on Sky Sports.

It’ll be eight years since Hall won the AIG Women’s Open at the Lancashire venue, and she is ramping up her preparations as she bids to repeat the feat.

“I’m getting back to practising, and my other half is helping a lot with the baby, but it’s great fun, and it’s all a learning experience,” Hall said during an interview with the Sky Sports Golf Podcast.

Hall had not anticipated how long it takes for the body to recover after having a baby and how much that can impact an athlete’s professional career.

“It’s definitely underestimated,” she said. “I don’t think it gets enough recognition.

“It’s over a year, because it’s nine months being pregnant, and then it takes around nine months for your body to fully get back.

“It’s just hard, but it can be done if you have the right support around you and the right team.”

Hall is now balancing motherhood with her desire to compete at the top level and wants to prove to others that it’s possible to continue playing on the professional tours after becoming a mum.

“Obviously, my priorities have changed, for sure. But golf still means a lot to me, and I’m still eager to do very well because I’d love to show people and other women that life doesn’t have to stop after giving birth.

“So I’m really eager to do well and get back competing, and I’ve done it for so long now, it’s just really enjoyable.”

Hall: I need to be patient with myself

Bournemouth-born Hall says her game is in a great place. She feared she could lose some distance after giving birth to her son, but explained she was still hitting the ball as far as before.

“At the Dutch Ladies Open last week, it was the first time I could bend down to read a putt, because I’ve had trouble with my knees through the pregnancy. So, that’s good,” Hall said.

“Now I can actually read putts, and that helps with scoring, but other than that, I’m slowly getting back, and hopefully I’ll be match fit by the AIG Women’s Open.”

Hall, who is not in the field for this week’s Evian Championship, has enjoyed some good form following her return. At the Jabra Ladies Open de France, Hall finished tied-28th. She followed that up with a tied-44th finish at the Dutch Ladies Open and, on Sunday, she ended her week at the Hulencourt Women’s Open two-over par and tied-24th on the leaderboard.

The 30-year-old said her expectations are a little different coming into the AIG Women’s Open, but believes the experience of winning at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2018 will hold her in good stead.

“I’ve come back very quickly, so I need to be patient with myself.

“It’s four weeks, four or five weeks until we play, so I’m really trying to ramp up my practice, physio and gym. Just trying to get as match-ready as possible.

“I will go into that week thinking I can win, because I’ve done it there before, and it just brings back such confidence.”

Will Hall make the European Solheim Cup team?

While Hall has one eye on winning the AIG Women’s Open, she is also hopeful she can impress European Solheim Cup captain Anna Nordqvist enough to gain a spot in her team for the upcoming tournament at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands in September.

Hall, who has featured in the tournament on five occasions, helping the team win in 2019 before retaining the cup in 2021 and 2023, revealed to Sky Sports that she has been in regular contact with Nordqvist.

“I think, as I haven’t played in hardly any events, obviously Anna doesn’t have much to go on,” Hall said.

“But the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open and the AIG Women’s Open will be the first time I compete against the other European players, so I think it will give Anna a good comparison between how I’m playing compared to them. I’m not putting too much pressure on myself.

“If I do well, I think I may have a chance based on history and me playing five Solheim Cups, but if I don’t, I didn’t for once imagine that I would get into the team when I was pregnant.

“I was just like: ‘I just want to get back to playing golf’, so it’s in the back of my mind for sure, but I’m just focused on playing two good weeks and seeing what happens.”

Hall could even take up a leadership role within the side, but she feels Nordqvist is “still looking at me as a potential player.”

Hall: Hull can win anywhere

Hall also heaped praise on her Solheim Cup team-mate and long-time friend Charley Hull. She believes it’s a matter of when, not if, her compatriot wins her first major.

Hull came close to breaking her major duck at the US Women’s Open in June, and despite posting a final-round score of 67, she finished tied for second, one shot behind Nelly Korda.

It was the fifth time that Hull, a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour, has placed as a runner-up at a major championship.

While she would endure a tough week at her next major start, missing the cut at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in June, Hall believes Hull is close to ending her long wait for a major.

“She’s done so well, and obviously, five runner-up finishes at the majors obviously would hurt, and I’ve read that it does, but I think she’s such an awesome player,” Hall said.

“I think that she can win anywhere, and obviously she’s in great form as well, and being really close to her is like I’m willing her to win a major.

“She’s definitely close, and I think she should be very proud of herself, because she’s doing so well. It will come, just be patient.”

Watch all four rounds of the AIG Women’s Open, live on Sky Sports between Thursday, July 30 and Sunday, August 2. First round coverage will commence at 9am (BST) on Thursday, July 30, on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream golf with no contract