Golfer Georgia Hall delays professional dream

Golfer Georgia Hall has delayed plans to turn professional until later in the year because of a lack of funding.

Hall had planned to go professional when she turned 18 on 12 April but has found it hard to fund her career.

The Bournemouth-based golfer is regarded as one of the leading ladies amateurs in the world.

"I'm now going to play in the Curtis Cup hopefully and the British Open in August at Royal Birkdale," Hall told BBC South Today.

"I haven't played in the Curtis Cup before - I was reserve two years ago so it would be good to play and I don't want to turn down a Major.

"It will mean a lot to play in the Curtis Cup. When I turn pro I probably won't get the chance to play in it again. To be with your team-mates - golf is such an individual sport, you don't really get a chance spend time with other people."

Hall played her first professional tournament in April 2013 when she received an invite to play the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills Golf Club.

Other career highlights include winning double gold at the 2013 Youth Olympic Festival.

Hall, who is now attached to Parkstone Golf Club in Dorset, has also won the ladies' British Amateur Championship, is a former European ladies number one amateur and has been ranked as high as fourth in the world, though she is currently number eight.

However, her achievements to date have so far failed to earn her a major sponsor so has had to delay earning her card at Tour school.

She also had to turn down another chance to play at the Kraft Nabisco because of funding, and admits it has been hard to delay her dream of going pro.

"It's very hard to get funding, especially in the local area I am in." she said. "That is the reason I turned down the Nabisco.

"I got an invite, which is normally the hardest thing, and had to turn it down. It was painful and annoying but you need funding. That is the reason I have not gone professional - you need about £25,000 and that is not available for me.

"It's hard, as I've trained for 10 years to turn pro and I've done all the practice but unless you have rich parents or know someone wealthy you have to try and raise it another way."

Hall admits she will now have to be patient and focus fully on her game, and hope a sponsor comes forward.

"I'm doing the best I can to get there and improve myself and play on the ladies European Tour," she said.

"I have to keep grinding away at my game and hopefully something will come up. I know there are a lot of other sportsman and women looking for the same thing, I just have to hope someone is out there.

"I just have to focus on the golf, that is the main thing."