DORSET'S Georgia Hall has never been one to moderate her ambitions.

That tactic served the former Canford Kid well in the amateur ranks and continued to do so after she turned professional three and a half years ago.

Perhaps her upward momentum would ease a fraction in her third full year on the Ladies' European Tour? Not a bit. We should have known that in April, when she laid out her ambitions for 2017.

"One of my aims is to be first on the order of merit," said Hall, speaking days before her 21st birthday. "I want to be as consistent as last year because that's more important than winning.

"Rather than winning an event and then missing three or four cuts, I would much rather be second, third and fourth because that means you are playing well every week.

"This year I'm aiming for a tournament win on the LET, to win the order of merit, get in the Solheim Cup team and have a couple of good results in Majors."

When Hall said these words, she was being genuine. They were, in her mind, realistic aims, not pipe dreams uttered in a moment of ill-conceived optimism.

As it turned out, the Wimborne-based star had predicted with alarming accuracy the course her year would take. Remarkably, she achieved all bar one of these targets.

That she did not win a tournament proved something of a freak occurrence given she was the best player on tour. By a mile.

The figures back this up. Hall played in 10 LET events and finished in the top five on five occasions, the top 10 on seven occasions. She did not miss the cut once.

Her order of merit victory was effectively signed, sealed and delivered with several tournaments to go. A jaw-dropping £326,000 earned, more than double that of nearest rival Carlota Ciganda.

Hall's performance of the year arguably came at the Women's British Open in August, the tournament she regularly describes as her most important.

Producing her best against the globe's most talented players, the youngster powered into a tie for third, earning more than £142,000 in the process.

Later that month, the biennial clash between Europe and the United States, a trip for which Hall had her plane ticket sorted with time to spare.

Europe might have lost but it was a personal win for the Solheim rookie. She played in all five matches in Iowa, winning two points in the process.

She went down a storm with the American public as well, which might not prove a bad sign for the future.

In December, Hall recovered superbly from an opening 77 at LPGA Tour qualifying school in Florida to earn herself a card four days later.

What the world number 40 could achieve across the Atlantic this year is anyone's guess but set your expectations high. She certainly will.

Hall opens her Ladies' European Tour campaign next week at the Oates Vic Open in Australia.