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Fresh off a stellar three-title season in the USA, golf ace Hannah Green says she's never been better placed to win an Australian Open.
Hungry Hannah Green has declared she's at the peak of her powers as the Perth ace strives to snap a decade-long Australian Open title drought for the home hopes.
No Australian has won the Open since the legendary Karrie Webb had her name etched on the Patricia Bridges Bowl for a fifth time back in 2014.
New Zealand superstar Lydia Ko started the international dominance the following year before fellow all-time greats Jin-Young Ko, Inbee Park and now-rampant world No.1 Nelly Korda also saluted.
South African Ashleigh Buhai continued the foreign raid with twin victories and is back this week shooting for an unprecedented three-peat.
But, riding high after a stellar three-title season on the LPGA Tour, Green fired a warning to the field even after only arriving, a little jaded, in time for Wednesday's pro-am at Kingston Heath.
"My form coming into the Open is the best it's ever been," said the world No.5.
"Obviously arriving on Wednesday is not ideally my start to a week, but who knows?
"I haven't got so much time to think about the possibility of winning an Australian Open and that might not be a bad thing."
As well as Buhai returning again, this year's classy field also features South Korea's former world No.1 and 2013 Australian Open champ Jiyah Shin and fellow major winner Danielle Kang of the USA.
Green and 2023 runner-up Minjee Lee are the leading home hopes, along with 2024 Evian Championship runner-up Steph Kyriacou and fellow LPGA Tour starlet Grace Kim.
"Obviously 'Webby' has won this so many times in her career and Minjee and I both looked up to her and would love to win as many tournaments as we can," Green said.
"The Australian Open is obviously on top of the list and I think we have to put more pressure on ourselves because we want more."
The 26-year-old Green tied for 19th at last week's season-ending Tour Championship in Florida.
"I actually think this is the best my body and my mental state has been at this time in a season," she said.
"I decided to take five weeks off and came back to Perth and that's made me as fresh as possible and I think that's why I've been able to have good results at the end of the year because it's tough, such a busy summer.
"We pretty much had six major championships that we're trying to compete for (including the Olympics), so it was nice to have a little bit of a break before the end of this stretch."
Buhai, the 2022 British Open champion, expects the home favourites to feel the heat but isn't out to personally extend their torment.
"I don't get delighted because I know how hard it is to win your own tournament. It's the next thing next to a major," she said.
"Obviously I'm happy for myself that I'm able to come over here and be able to do it. It's so difficult with that extra bit of pressure on yourself.
"I know when I went back and played the South African Open after winning the Women's British, it was the most pressure I've felt."
TEE TIMES FOR THE FEATURE GROUPS FOR THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FIRST ROUND ON THURSDAY (AEDT):
7.11am: Minjee Lee (AUS), Steph Kyriacou (AUS), Jiyai Shin (KOR) - Victoria GC
12.16pm: Hannah Green (AUS), Grace Kim (AUS), Ashleigh Buhai (RSA) - Kingston Heath GC
12.38pm: Jenny Shin (USA), Kelsey Bennett (AUS), Danielle Kang (USA) - Kingston Heath GC.
