Australia’s most recent women’s major championship winners, Minjee Lee and Hannah Green, have today announced they will return home to contest the ISPS Handa Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club and The Lakes Golf Club from November 30.
The two West Australians, who have both been victorious on the LPGA Tour this year, have been regular fixtures in the Women’s Australian Open field and were on hand to experience the world first dual-gender national open when it debuted at Victoria and Kingston Heath golf clubs in 2022.
They will be chasing their first wins at their national championship. Green, currently ranked 22nd in the world, was third in 2022 – her best result at the Australian Open – while world No.7 Lee was fifth.
They will be seeking to become the first Australian winner of the Patricia Bridges Bowl since Karrie Webb triumphed in 2014.
“I’m very excited to be teeing it up in the Australian Open again this year after experiencing the new format in 2022 and being in contention to win the Patricia Bridges Bowl,” Green said. “As an Australian player, the Australian Open is a tournament I have always had right at the top of my list to hopefully one day win.”
Green claimed her third LPGA Tour win earlier this year when she claimed the JM Eagle LA Championship, with Lee joining her in the 2023 winner’s circle at the Kroger Queen City Championship in September for her ninth LPGA title.
“The Australian Open is a tournament that I would love to win and add my name alongside players like Karrie, Jane Crafter, and Jan Stephenson as an Australian Winner,” Lee said. “Playing in front of a home crowd is always exciting, as is the chance to once again play a national Open alongside my brother.”
Lee claimed her first major at the 2021 Amundi Evian Championship before adding a second the next year at the US Women’s Open after Green broke a 16-year major championship drought for Australian women at the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
The former state amateur teammates turned major winners also both own WPGA Tour of Australasia titles, including the Vic Open, a tournament that paved the way for the dual-gender format of the Australian Open that will carry a minimum of $3.4 million prizemoney and be played alongside the Australian All-Abilities Championship.
“Awesome to have Hannah and Minjee back for the Australian Open – they are great supporters of Australian golf. As major winners, they bring real star power to our Open and it is always a treat to watch them in action,” said Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland.
“We couldn’t be happier that Minjee and Hannah will play the Australian Open again in 2023 as two of the most popular players in women’s golf and champions of the WPGA Tour of Australasia,” WPGA Tour of Australasia chief executive Karen Lunn added. “The Women’s Australian Open has 16 major champions on its honour roll, including last year’s winner Ashleigh Buhai, and Minjee and Hannah will no doubt have eyes on becoming the 17th this year in Sydney.”
Marking the first time in Sydney for the Women’s Australian Open since 2007, as well as the tournament’s debut at The Lakes and a return to The Australian after 48 years, Lee and Green join Stephanie Kyriacou, as confirmed players in the women’s field.
Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Lucas Herbert and Cameron Davis, as well as Minjee and Hannah’s fellow ISPS Handa ambassador Min Woo Lee, are locked in as part of the men’s field.
Tickets for both the Australian Open are available via ticketek.com.
