Green headlines a field of six Australians contesting the third women’s major of the year at Aronimink Golf Club, 473 days since she elevated herself in golf’s history books as the 14th Australian golfer to win a major championship.

But where last year she had a support crew of six people – including 12-time major champion Karrie Webb – staying together and serving as the welcoming party to her coronation on the 18th green at Hazeltine National, the 2020 championship in the time of COVID-19 will be a more solitary affair.

Thankfully for Green, her ability to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the 72nd hole last June instilled a sense of belief that she can cope with whatever challenges are thrown at her.

“I didn’t really think I was capable to go wire-to-wire in an event, let alone a major championship,” Green conceded as she seeks to join Webb as the only Australians to successfully defend a major title.

“Just hanging in there, even though I was kind of crashing a little bit on the back nine. At the start of the back nine in the last round, I was trying to give myself as much positive thoughts as possible and worked really well with my caddie to make sure that I knew that I was still in it.

“To be honest, at the start of the week, I did not think I would win because the week before I had played at Meijer and missed the cut by a few. I really had no expectation. I honestly just wanted to make the cut.

“Then after shooting 4-under the first round, I was really kind of gob-smacked. I think the most important round was actually the second one, putting another good score up.

“But I guess once I put myself in contention and put myself with the lead, that’s when I kind of said to myself, I can win this; there’s no reason why I can’t. Yes, I hadn’t been in that position many a time before, but because it’s a major championship, everyone is feeling the pressure just as much as I was.”

An important member of Green’s entourage at Hazeltine last year was her boyfriend, Jarryd Felton.

Ironically, the 2017 New Zealand PGA champion is making his first start since the NZ Open in March at this week’s TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship in Kalgoorlie but admitted that his foremost thoughts will be with Green some 18,000 kilometres away in Philadelphia.

“I’ll be more curious on her golf than mine this week that’s for sure,” said Felton, the runner-up at Kalgoorlie in 2019.

“She’s seeing her name everywhere this week so she’s a bit nervous but she’s got a pretty good head on her shoulders.

“She did a pretty good of her defence at Portland and I’m sure she’ll lift for the occasion this week.”

Green took an early look at Aronimink prior to last week’s ShopRite LPGA Classic where she was tied for 66th and is excited by what is on offer at another genuine championship venue.

“We’re very fortunate to be here at Aronimink. I went out before Atlantic City to come and play the golf course because I knew this week was going to be busy,” Green revealed.

“I know the members were super excited to have us here and were really upset that they couldn’t sneak on and watch us.

“You’re going to have to be very patient. There’s a lot of long golf holes on this course, especially in the back nine.

“There’s going to be a lot of hybrids, a lot of 3-woods, and the greens are tricky. They’re quite big greens, but there’s some room to miss it and some room where you really don’t want to miss it.

“It’s going to be quite interesting really. I’m not sure what the scoring will be like. I guess it depends how cold it is in the morning and how much breeze there is.

“I’m super excited. I’m already getting good vibes from this course.”

The other Australians in the field this week are Minjee Lee, Katherine Kirk, Su Oh, Sarah Kemp, Sarah Jane Smith along with Kiwi Lydia Ko.