There’s been a lot of talk about eagles after Brooke Henderson set a new LPGA record with six at the Amundi Evian Championship, including one on the 72nd hole. With the British Open this week at Royal Birkdale, it’s a good time to reminisce on Mo Martin’s extraordinary finish there in 2014.
Standing on the 18th with a 3-wood in her hand at the Ricoh Women’s British Open, Martin’s second shot from 237 yards off a left-to-right lie, complemented by a left-to-right breeze, chased onto the green. First she yelled for it to “sit,” and then she told the ball to “go!” When she heard it clank off the flagstick, Martin said: “Oh, my God.”
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The near-albatross settled 7 feet from the hole. Cinderella converted the eagle putt – her first eagle of 2014 – and then waited over an hour for her glass slipper in Southport, England.
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“Is this real life?” Martin asked on the range moments after Inbee Park’s quest for the career Grand Slam had come to a sloppy end. Several of the game’s giants – Suzann Pettersen, Shanshan Feng and Park – had their chances on the two closing par 5s. But none could spoil 31-year-old Martin’s magnificent fairytale.The former UCLA walk-on had only one top-10 finish in her entire LPGA career heading into Birkdale. She’d spent six years on what’s now the Epson Tour, winning three times.
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While many golf fans didn’t know the pint-sized Martin, her caddie, Kyle Morrison, called her “The Mayor” because of her popularity among peers. Martin scheduled her practice sessions at odd times so that she could focus.
Mo Martin reacts after winning the Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale golf course in Southport, northwest England on July 13, 2014.
Birkdale, with its tight, firm fairways and penal rough, played into Martin’s hands. The 5-foot-2 player only averaged 234 yards off the tee that season but ranked No. 1 in driving accuracy. Martin’s caddie said his boss could reach a par 5 in two once in every five tournaments.
It was destiny at Birkdale, for the player known as Mighty Mo.
Beth Ann Nichols is a senior writer for Golfweek covering the LPGA and all things women’s golf.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Remembering Mo Martin’s spectacular finish at 2014 British Open at Birkdale
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