DORSET star Georgia Hall landed the biggest victory of her career as she became the first English winner of the Women’s British Open since 2004.

The Wimborne-based professional carded a final-round 67 at Royal Lytham & St Annes to record her maiden major championship at the age of 22.

She sealed a two-shot victory over Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum in an enthralling final day’s play at the Lancashire links venue.

Hall pocketed a staggering $490,000 in prize money for her triumph and became only the third British winner since the event became a major in 2001.

In the final group one shot behind Phatlum, Hall showed no signs of first-tee nerves and got off to the perfect start.

A crisply-struck iron shot to 10 feet allowed her to stroke home the resulting putt.

The birdie two got the home crowd going and moved Hall into a share of the lead at 13 under par.

Phatlum, playing with a pink golf ball, drained a birdie effort at the second to record an immediate response and regain her initial advantage.

The gallery then erupted once again as Hall found the heart of the hole with a firm effort from 20 feet for birdie at the par-four fourth.

But Phatlum, who had hit a stunning approach to the same green, also made three to move 15 under.

With the duo leaving the rest of the field behind, Hall managed to fire inside the ball of Phatlum on the short fifth.

But as the Thai player recorded her third birdie in five holes, the former Canford Kid’s short putt just shaved past the left edge.

A classy up-and-down on the long sixth meant the 22-year-old sunk an 18-footer for birdie but despite the Dorset star applying the pressure, Phatlum once again picked up another shot.

With a two-stroke advantage, leader Phatlum, ranked 97th in the world, found trouble off the eighth tee, meaning she had to chip out sideways.

She would eventually record a bogey – only her second of the week. With Hall down in four, the lead was reduced to one.

Despite pulling the ball left off the short ninth and finding bunker, a neat sand save meant the ex-Oakmead College pupil reached the turn in 32.

The duo traded pars on the opening three holes of the final nine but it was Dorset’s Hall who was first to make a move.

She slid in a birdie putt from 10 feet at the 13th to pick up a shot and draw level for the Championship on 16 under, with five holes remaining.

The contest’s big moment looked to be coming in Hall’s favour at the par-five 15th.

A finely-struck fairway wood from 219 yards saw her find the green, 20 feet from the hole in what was arguably her shot of the tournament.

Somehow, the resulting putt for eagle stayed out after taking a huge piece of the left edge.

Phatlum, who had missed the green to the right in two, chipped and putted tidily to ensure the pair both recorded birdies.

Then, after 16 holes, Hall took the lead.

A rare miscued tee shot with a long iron clattered off a spectator but a super recovery from the rough saw her find the putting surface.

And from 25 feet up the hill, the Dorset star’s ball dropped into the centre of the cup to give her a one-shot advantage with two holes to play.

England’s Hall then turned the screw on her 71st hole of the tournament, as she opened up a three-shot lead.

While Phatlum found the fairway bunker and was left to deal with a poor lie, she could only muster a double-bogey six after missing a short putt.

Hall’s birdie effort hung on the right edge and stayed out, but she had still opened up a clear advantage.

And the Dorset star sealed the crown by safely negotiating a bogey at the last to finish 17 under par and put her name in the history books.