GEORGIA Hall will not defend her Victorian Open title next month as she is understandably unwilling to make the epic journey Down Under for one tournament.

The Wimborne-based 20-year-old won her second professional title at 13th Beach Golf Links last year and went on to play in the New Zealand Open, Australian Open and the RACV Masters in Queensland in the ensuing weeks.

However, the Victorian Open is the only tournament in that group which Hall could feasibly compete in this year, so she has reluctantly decided against attempting to retain her crown.

She told the Daily Echo: "I'm not going to Australia because there are no spots in the Australian Open, so I wouldn't fit in.

"The only event is the Victorian Open and it's a long way to go just for one event.

"Although it would have been great to defend it, last year I played in four tournaments over there.

"This time I thought it wasn't really worth it just for a week."

Former Oakmead College pupil Hall lined up in the 2016 Australian Open as a direct result of her triumph at the Victorian Open.

She finished tied-ninth at The Grange and banked more than £17,000 in prize money.