ORGANISERS of the prestigious Ricoh Women’s British Open have been left red faced after a mix up resulted in Dorset’s Georgia Hall missing the prize presentation at St Andrews yesterday.

Hall and her father Wayne were on their way back to Bournemouth from Scotland after being told the 17-year-old had been pipped for the trophy for finishing as the leading amateur.

Remedy Oak member Hall and Lydia Ko ended the event tied on six-over par with officials initially thinking the New Zealander had won the Smyth Salver Medal by virtue of carding a lower total in her final round.

However, after reading the list of previous winners on the silverware, the Ladies’ Golf Union, who run the British Open, realised a precedent had been set in 1993 when Jo Morley and Patricia Meunier shared the trophy after also tying.

LGU head of golf operations Susan Simpson confirmed Hall would receive her silver medal and said the criteria for a tie in the Smyth Salver would be written into the tournament conditions in a “more defined fashion” in future.

She added: “On reviewing the engraving on the trophy, it was discovered that a similar situation had happened in 1993 and a precedent had been set.

“This will now be written into the regulations for the championship. We regret what happened but it was one of those things.”

When contacted by the Daily Echo yesterday, a member of the Women’s British Open press office confirmed Ko had won the silver medal on count-back, information which the LGU now accept was not accurate.

Hall’s father Wayne, who caddied for the teenager at St Andrews, said: “Originally, one of the LGU staff misinformed us that she thought it went on count-back and, because Lydia had a lower last round, she had won it.

“I then received a phone call when we were halfway back to Edinburgh airport telling me they needed Georgia back at St Andrews as soon as possible and she was to report to the office.

“But we had a flight to catch and were 40 minutes into the journey. They have since told us the medal will be sent out with any vouchers Georgia may have won.”

Bournemouth-born Hall had earned exemption to the British Open after being crowned British Amateur Championship in June.

She is due to represent Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup against America in Denver next week before competing in her third Major, the Evian Championship in France, in September.