DORSET star Georgia Hall started by competing for Snickers bars at Canford Magna – now she has joined the most prestigious list of winners in golfing history.

The 22-year-old Wimborne-based professional reflected on her dreams growing up, pretending to hole putts for the Women’s British Open.

Those fantasies became a reality at Royal Lytham & St Annes when she tapped in on the 18th hole and become only the fourth English woman to win a major championship.

Hall sealed a two-shot victory thanks to a final-round 67 at the famous Lancashire links venue, a place where golfing legends, Bobby Jones, Tony Jacklin, Gary Player and Seve Ballesteros have all sealed Open Championship glory.

Joining the likes of Annika Sorenstam and Catriona Matthew to win the women’s event at Lytham, an ecstatic Hall told Sky Sports: “It’s too good to be true. I don’t think it has all sunk in for me.

“It was my goal when I was nine-years old on the putting green, pretending to hole six-footers for the British Open.

“To actually have that – luckily it was just a tap-in! I didn’t want it any longer than that. I was so happy.”

Hall contested an epic final-day battle alongside Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum – the pair racing away from the rest of the field to virtually set up a matchplay situation.

Dorset’s Hall was a shot behind having turned in 32 but gained the advantage after draining a 25-foot putt up the hill for birdie on the 16th.

Phatlum, who had started the day with a shot advantage, eventually fell short after a costly double-bogey on the pair’s 71st hole of the tournament.

Hall, who had held her nerve throughout the back nine, negotiated a bogey at the last to go with her previous six birdies on the day, having held a three-shot lead.

She insisted it was vital not to become overwhelmed by the occasion, having gone on to scoop more than £375,000 in prize money.

“I promised myself not to get ahead of myself or feel any emotions, which is sometimes hard because I wanted to take it all in,” she added.

“If I did, I would have probably hit a bad shot, so I stayed very calm and patient. It was very close up until the final two holes, so I was just trying to hole the putts.

“So many people were behind me and supporting me. I wanted to hole putts for them as well because they were all cheering. To get six birdies on the final round of a major is not bad!

“It was so nice to have so much support. I don’t get much in America but this is home for me and it’s so nice to play in England in front of a home crowd.”

Hall became the first English Women’s British Open winner since Karen Stupples in 2004. Alison Nicholas and Dame Laura Davies are the only other English competitors to win majors.

But instead of reflecting on the past, the former Oakmead College pupil hoped her triumph would inspire the next generation.

She said: “I saw so many little girls come out, three or four-year-olds just wanting a picture with me. It’s so inspiring.

“I want to be a great role model for the youngsters coming up and, hopefully, I can be.”