Alice Hewson hopes to sneak Solheim Cup spot after strong finish at AIG Women’s Open
Alice Hewson finished tied for 16th at the AIG Women’s Open in Walton Heath last week
While Charley Hull was challenging at the top of the AIG Women’s Open leaderboard on Sunday, there was another young English hope, Alice Hewson, making moves.
Hewson shot a four-under final round of 68 to finish one under for the week and in a tie for 16th place, her best ever finish at a major.
And making this all the more impressive is the fact that the 25-year-old was eight over par after the first eight holes of her opening round, having carded six bogeys and a double at the par-four third at Walton Heath.
Highlights from the final round of the AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath as Lilia Vu claimed her second major title of the season
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, Hewson said: “It has been a whirlwind week; I was quite literally last through eight holes!
“It was very much a case of ‘one shot at a time’, but at the same token I had to also flick a switch and say, ‘right, reset now and get going!’
“It was backs against the wall and a time to dig deep.
“I joked with my caddie walking off of the ninth hole on that first round that I was going to get back to level par. He said, ‘if you can do that over the next few days, that would be fantastic’. And I was like, ‘no, I mean today!’”
Hewson couldn’t quite manage that but did ultimately walk away with a much more respectable five-over round of 77, gaining three strokes on the back nine. She then shot three under on day two to stay the weekend before her impressive finish.
“I feel really positive,” Hewson added. “I could feel I was getting closer and closer through the week.
“The course was not playing easy, so to finish in that position I was really proud of how I battled.
“To even make it to the weekend was quite an achievement and then to work my way up, finally get back level halfway through the final round and then to sneak in under par, I was very proud.”
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Hewson is hoping to take that form into this weekend and the ISPS Handa World Invitational in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.
It’s the last Solheim Cup qualifying event for Team Europe, though Hewson has an uphill battle on her hands to sneak one of the eight automatic qualifying places.
Celine Boutier currently leads the way in the European Solheim Cup standings after her wins at the Evian Championship and Scottish Open, with Maja Stark sitting in second with fellow Swede Linn Grant right on her tail.
Charley Hull holes a sensational chip for an eagle on the par-five eleventh at the AIG Women’s Open
The next six in the world rankings are currently Hull, Leona Maguire, Georgia Hall, Grant, Carlota Ciganda, and Anna Nordqvist.
Hewson, named a travelling reserve for the team two years ago, could yet force her name into the hat, however, as one of Suzann Pettersen’s four captain’s picks with another strong showing this week.
Pettersen names her picks in a live show on Sky Sports on Tuesday, August 22.
European Solheim Cup captain Suzann Pettersen gives an insight in to the potential make-up of her team as she prepares to choose her four captain’s picks
“I’m always hoping to go to a Solheim Cup, absolutely,” she said. “2021 (as a reserve) was my first ever experience of one. It was such a special week.
“I would always appreciate the opportunity to go. I feel like I put up a good fight this past week, though I might have left a little too much out there this year.
“But as I say, I gave it a good fight and will continue to do so. That’s all I can do.”
The LPGA Tour season heads to Northern Ireland next for the ISPS Handa World Invitational, beginning on Thursday from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf, which is the final event in the qualification campaign for Europe’s Solheim Cup team. Stream the LPGA Tour, Solheim Cup and more with NOW for £26 a month for 12 months.
