Women's Open Championship’s extra holes left me in race against time to catch train home

Planning the best way to travel to Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club for Sunday’s final day of the 50th AIG Women’s Open Championship worked in my favour….well, kind of!

Eager to avoid the snarl-ups on the roads around the picturesque seaside town, I took the advice of the R&A’s official guidance and decided to travel by rail and bicycle.

My journey to and from the event looked like it would work to perfection – that is until Germany’s Esther Henseleit sunk that monstrous putt on the 18th green to force the competition into a play-off decider.

It looked for all the world that Japan’s Shiho Kuwaki was going to be crowned champion at around 7pm after the final pairing of overnight leader Yealimi Noh, of the USA, and Henseleit pitched their second shots onto the final green.

One shot behind the leader, both players needed a birdie on the par four hole to keep their hopes alive.

Watching backstage, Kuwaki clasped her hands together close to her chin as both Noh and Henseleit left themselves well short of the hole.

But in true Constantino Rocca fashion, Henseleit delivered one of the biggest clutch putts in history to extend the championship into a 73rd hole.

The roar heard from the galleries as the ball disappeared was deafening, but it left me anxiously looking at my watch, knowing that I had only had around half an hour left before my train home was due to depart.

It looked like I would still get to see the tournament reach its conclusion as Kuwaki’s found herself in an awkward position in the rough after her tee-shot on the extra hole.

Forced to chip out on her second, she produced a moment of inspiration to fire her third shot within a few feet of the hole for a sinkable putt.

There was still the opportunity for Henseleit to win the tournament though but she was unable to repeat her birdie heroics of a few minutes earlier as both players had to settle for par and an 18th hole play-off re-run.

That was cue for me to collect my bike and race around Ansdell and Fairhaven Railway Station, arriving in the nick of time just as the train pulled up at the platform.

After safely stored my two wheels, I wound up sat next to a spectator who I had got chatting to on the way to the Open.

After safely storing my two wheels, I wound up sat next to a spectator who I had got chatting to on the way to the Open.

Frantically searching our phones for live updates, it soon became apparent that Kuwaki was in the box seat on the second play-off hole after Henseleit had skewed her tee shot horribly into the rough.

She still forced the Japan ace to complete her par to win the tournament.

It was my second time to Royal Lytham and St Annes to watch a Major, following the 2012 men’s championship.

I am always amazed at how well the tournament is managed – special praise to the countless number of marshals who ensure the event runs smoothly for players and fans alike.