Lee, Green pitch in to stake Australian Open claim

Two-time major champion Minjee Lee will return home to contest the 2023 Australian Open. (Con Chronis/AAP PHOTOS)

The star-studded field for this year's bumper summer of Australian golf has received another boost with major winners Minjee Lee and Hannah Green confirming their place at their home tournament. 

The pair, both winners on the LPGA Tour this year, will contest the Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club and The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney from November 30. 

Lee joins her brother, the men's world No.46 Min Woo, in returning home for this year's Open. 

Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Lucas Herbert and Cameron Davis are also locked in as part of the men's field while another top-100 local star, Stephanie Kyriacou, is confirmed for the women's.  

MAJOR news this morning with major champs @hannahgreengolf and @minjeegolf confirmed to play @AusOpenGolf in Sydney next month 😁

— Golf Australia ⛳️ (@GolfAust) October 14, 2023

Lee and Green will be chasing their first wins at the Open. 

Green, currently ranked 22nd in the world, was third in 2022 - her best result at the Australian Open - while Lee was fifth.

They will be seeking to become the first Australian winner of the Patricia Bridges Bowl since Karrie Webb triumphed in 2014.
 
"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, winner of the 2019 PGA Championship, said. 

Hannah Green finished third at last year's Australian Open, her best result in the tournament.

World No.7 Lee, who won the Evian Championship in 2021 as well as last year's US Open, said she was keen to add her name "alongside players like Karrie, Jane Crafter and Jan Stephenson as an Australian winner".

"Playing in front of a home crowd is always exciting, as is the chance to once again play a national Open alongside my brother," she said.
 
The former state amateur teammates turned major winners have both won WPGA Tour of Australasia titles, including the Vic Open, a tournament that paved the way for the dual-gender format of the Australian Open. 

This year's Open will carry a minimum of $3.4 million in prize money.

"(It's) awesome to have Hannah and Minjee back for the Australian Open," Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said. 

"As major winners, they bring real star power to our Open and it is always a treat to watch them in action."

The Women's Australian Open returns to Sydney for the first time since 2007.