Hannah Green hopes the equal-pay status of the historic mixed-gender Australian Open will help lure some of world golf's biggest women's stars this summer.
Total purses of $1.7 million will be on offer for both the men's and women's events when the first Australian Open since 2019 is staged at Melbourne's Kingston Heath and Victoria golf clubs from December 1-4.
In a world first at a national golf open, the men and women will hit off in alternate groups all four days, from two different tee boxes.
Major-winning LPGA Tour ace Green and legendary compatriot Karrie Webb have already committed to the showpiece event of a bumper Australian summer program tipped to feature at least a dozen tournaments.
Green said South Africa's newly-crowned British Open champion Ashleigh Buhai was among many players in the locker-room keen on venturing down under.
"A lot of players are actually asking when everyone is going to return to Australia and unfortunately I have to tell them the hard news that I don't actually know," Green said.
"Ash Buhai really wants to come play the Australian Open and she actually hadn't heard back if she was able to get an invite, so I really hope she's getting one now.
"But I'm sure a lot of girls would take interest if they have the option to play. Maybe make a holiday out of it. But, yeah, I'm trying to get as many girls to come down as possible."
No longer being an LPGA Tour event and the switch of dates from February to December since the last Australian Open was held pre-COVID-19 are obstacles for officials seeking to attract the top women.
Green, though, said she would love to see American superstar Nelly Korda return to Australia to defend her 2019 Open crown.
"It is a hard time of year because of Thanksgiving a week prior to the Open but some girls might want to go on a holiday and make a trip out of it," the West Australian said.
"It's a long season. You can make some good money out of it and celebrate. So it'd be nice if Nelly and her sister Jess could come down.
"It would obviously be great if Minjee (Lee) could attend. I think just important to have all the Australian players come back.
"It sounds like Cam (Smith) wants to come back, and hopefully Scotty (Adam Scott) and Leish (Marc Leishman) and all the boys want to come back too.
"So I think just getting as many Australian players in the field as possible is important."
Green, the 2019 Women's PGA champion, ranks winning her national open alongside landing a major.
"Getting my hand on that trophy would be very important to me," the 25-year-old said.
"It definitely depends on the field and I think it would make a difference if still we had LPGA players to come, but it doesn't mean I'm not going to work just as hard to try and win that trophy."
