In-form Hannah Green fires warning to Australian Open field

Hannah Inexperienced has declared she’s on the peak of her powers because the Perth ace strives to snap a decade-long Australian Open title drought for the house hopes.

No Australian has received the Open since Karrie Webb had her identify etched on the Patricia Bridges Bowl for a fifth time again in 2014.

New Zealand celebrity Lydia Ko began the worldwide dominance the next yr earlier than fellow all-time greats Jin-Younger Ko, Inbee Park and now-rampant world primary Nelly Korda additionally saluted.

South African Ashleigh Buhai continued the overseas raid with twin victories and is again this week capturing for an unprecedented three-peat.

However, driving excessive after a stellar three-title season on the LPGA Tour, Inexperienced fired a warning to the sphere regardless of arriving in Melbourne on Wednesday.

“My type coming into the Open is one of the best it is ever been,” stated the world quantity 5.

“Clearly arriving on Wednesday just isn’t ideally my begin to per week, however who is aware of?

“I have never bought a lot time to consider the opportunity of successful an Australian Open and which may not be a foul factor.”

In addition to Buhai returning once more, this yr’s stylish discipline additionally options South Korea’s former world primary and 2013 Australian Open champion Jiyah Shin and fellow main winner Danielle Kang of the USA.

Inexperienced and 2023 runner-up Minjee Lee are the main house hopes, together with 2024 Evian Championship runner-up Steph Kyriacou and fellow LPGA Tour starlet Grace Kim.

“Clearly ‘Webby’ has received this so many occasions in her profession and Minjee and I each regarded as much as her and would like to win as many tournaments as we will,” Inexperienced stated.

“The Australian Open is clearly on prime of the checklist and I feel we’ve got to place extra strain on ourselves as a result of we wish extra.”

The 27-year-old Inexperienced tied for nineteenth eventually week’s season-ending Tour Championship in Florida.

“I truly assume that is one of the best my physique and my psychological state has been right now in a season,” she stated.

“I made a decision to take 5 weeks off and got here again to Perth and that is made me as recent as doable and I feel that is why I have been in a position to have good outcomes on the finish of the yr as a result of it is powerful, such a busy summer season.

“We just about had six main championships that we’re making an attempt to compete for (together with the Olympics), so it was good to have a little bit little bit of a break earlier than the tip of this stretch.”

Buhai, the 2022 British Open champion, expects the house favourites to really feel the warmth however is not out to personally lengthen their torment.

“I do not get delighted as a result of I understand how arduous it’s to win your personal event. It is the subsequent factor subsequent to a serious,” she stated.

“Clearly I am pleased for myself that I can come over right here and be capable to do it. It is so troublesome with that additional little bit of strain on your self.

“I do know after I went again and performed the South African Open after successful the Ladies’s British, it was probably the most strain I’ve felt.”

AAP