Hannah Green admitted to feeling the weight of local expectation but was relishing a final-day assault chasing down the leaders as she tries to break almost a decade of history in the Australian Open.
The world No.20, who started her third round a two-shot leader, stepped off the 18th green feeling a lot better about herself after recovering with a birdie-birdie finish to be just two strokes behind South Korea’s Jiyai Shin at Victoria Golf Club.
Green is gunning to be the first Australian to win the women’s Open since Karrie Webb in 2014.
In between the honour roll has included the likes of Lydia Ko, Nelly Korda and Inbee Park, and it was expected world No.4 Minjee Lee and former major winner Green would give this week’s event a serious shake.
“It has been a long time,” Green said after her one-under 71 on Saturday. “Even going to the dinner [on Friday night] and holding the lead, it was my own perspective [about the weight of history].
“I felt like today it was a little bit flatter because I wasn’t playing so well. A few of my mates came out the last few holes and propped me up a bit which was good.
“Things were going the wrong way so it’s nice to finish on a positive note. I feel like there was probably a bit of pressure coming on my shoulders, and this was the round I was worried about. I’m glad it’s out of the way.”
Shin (-14) started her tournament being stopped from riding on a shuttle bus ferrying patrons from one Australian Open course to another. The bus driver was concerned having someone on with clubs could pose a safety risk if the vehicle needed to be stopped quickly.
The Korean, ever so polite, accepted the explanation as ordinary patrons piled on instead, and went about organising her own alternative transport, navigating the maze that has been the historic dual gender national championship.
But a player who started the week anonymously is suddenly looming as the gatecrasher to the local party, giving homegrown stars Green (-12) and Minjee Lee (-7) work to do on the final day in Melbourne.
Shin turned her back on the LPGA Tour to spend more time in Asia with family and a rare trip to the Melbourne sandbelt has her on the cusp of the Patricia Bridges Bowl.
South Korea’s Jiyai Shin starred on the third day of the Australian Open.Credit:AP
“I’m not 25 anymore, same as Adam [Scott]. I want to stay stable to play,” she joked. “Sometimes I miss playing LPGA, of course, but now I have more fans in Japan and Korea and I still feel good up there too. If I have a chance to play outside I’ll be there too.”
Green cut a frustrated figure for a large part of her third round as she couldn’t capitalise on an early birdie, and Shin quickly melted into the West Australian’s overnight lead before going about building a substantial one of her own.
The 34-year-old, who primarily plays on the Japan tour, had five birdies on her front nine and then consolidated her lead from AIG Women’s Open champion, South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai (-13), who clawed her way into contention.
Hannah Green is within two shots of the lead at the Australian Open.Credit:AP
Shin was ruing a costly double bogey five on the par-three 16th hole, which wiped away her margin. She blew her approach shot and then after bumping her pitch onto the green, three-putted to give a glimmer of hope to her rivals.
It was the first time she had dropped a shot all round, but she quickly bounced back with birdie on the 17th to sleep on the overnight lead.
Buhai posted a largely trouble-free round of 66 which included seven birdies and one bogey to put herself in the final group on Sunday.
Australia’s Grace Kim (-9), who has secured her LPGA Tour card, caught fire late in her third round with three straight birdies and will give herself an outside chance of claiming a first Australian Open.
But most of that responsibility will fall to Green.
“I like being on the hunt,” she said. “I have won both ways from in front and behind, but on this golf course it would be nice to come from behind.”
Watch the Australian Open on the 9Network and 9Now from December 1-4.
