It had been four years since Jason Day’s US PGA Championship victory at Whistling Straits and the next generation of Aussie golfers were elbowing their way to the front of the major championship queue.

Cameron Smith and Minjee Lee boasted the amateur resumés that suggested they were the pair most likely yet it was Lee’s fellow West Australian who unexpectedly took command from the first round of the 2019 KPMG at Hazeltine and never let up.

It took a sand save on the 72nd hole and a champagne shower from none other than seven-time major winner Karrie Webb to complete Green’s coronation that would serve as inspiration to those ready to follow in her footsteps.

And perhaps Australia’s two No.1s in waiting.

In the three years since, Smith has ascended to the top five in the Official World Golf Ranking – largely on the back of a dominant win at THE PLAYERS Championship in March – while Lee is now a two-time major champion and one of this week’s strong favourites.

The major-winning duo headline a seven-strong Aussie contingent this week at the Congressional Country Club in Maryland, a venue where Greg Norman has won twice and Ernie Els and Rory McIlroy have won US Opens in 2011 and 1997 respectively.

Lee has already joined a list of luminaries by winning the US Women’s Open three weeks ago at Pine Needles and can punch another ticket to her journey towards the career grand slam by winning a second-straight major this week.

Yet perhaps it will be Green – imbibing the vibes as a former champion – who will lead the Aussie charge.

Runner-up at the LA Open, Green shot 69 in the final round of the Meijer LPGA Classic for a tie for 12th and a healthy injection of confidence as she chases a second major title.

The other Aussies hoping to join Green, Webb (2001) and Jan Stephenson (1982) as Women’s PGA champions are Su Oh, Stephanie Kyriacou, Sarah Kemp, Sarah Jane Smith and Katherine Kirk.

KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Maryland
Defending champion: Nelly Korda
Past Aussie winners: Jan Stephenson (1982), Karrie Webb (2001), Hannah Green (2019)

Live TV coverage
Friday
2am-5am on Fox Sports 503
Saturday
2am-5am on Fox Sports 503
Sunday
3am-6am on Fox Sports 505
Monday
3am-6am on Fox Sports 505

Aussies in the field
Minjee Lee
World ranking: 3
Age: 26
Major wins: 2 (2021 Evian Championship; 2022 US Women’s Open)
LPGA Tour wins: 8
Best finish at Women’s PGA: T12 in 2016
Best finish in 2022: Won Cognizant Founders Cup; Won US Women’s Open
Key stat: 68.81 Scoring Average (1st)
How she qualified: Major championship winner

Hannah Green
World ranking: 20
Age: 25
Major wins: 1 (2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship)
LPGA Tour wins: 2
Best finish at Women’s PGA: Won in 2019
Best finish in 2022: Won Vic Open; Won TPS Murray River
Key stat: 74.1 per cent Greens in Regulation (10th)
How she qualified: Former winner of KPMG Women’s PGA

Su Oh
World ranking: 111
Age: 26
Major wins: 0
LPGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at Women’s PGA: T8 in 2016
Best finish in 2022: Won Australian WPGA Championship
Key stat: 1.74 Putts per Green in Regulation (7th)
How she qualified: Race to CME Globe Points

Stephanie Kyriacou
World ranking: 121
Age: 21
Major wins: 0
LPGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at Women’s PGA: First appearance
Best finish in 2022: T6 at Saudi Ladies International
Key stat: 1.783 Putts per Green in Regulation (33rd)
How she qualified: Race to CME Globe Points

Katherine Kirk
World ranking: 174
Age: 40
Major wins: 0
LPGA Tour wins: 3
Best finish at Women’s PGA: T16 in 2009
Best finish in 2022: T39 at Palos Verdes Championship
Key stat: 29.73 Putting Average (48th)
How she qualified: Race to CME Globe Points

Sarah Kemp
World ranking: 188
Age: 36
Major wins: 0
LPGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at Women’s PGA: T37 in 2007
Best finish in 2022: T26 at LOTTE Championship; T26 at Palos Verdes Championship
Key stat: 75.36 per cent Driving Accuracy (58th)
How she qualified: Race to CME Globe Points

Sarah Jane Smith
World ranking: 337
Age: 37
Major wins: 0
LPGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at Women’s PGA: T11 in 2018
Best finish in 2022: T2 IOA Championship; T2 IOA Golf Classic (Epson Tour)
Key stat: 59.09 per cent Sand Saves (7th)
How she qualified: Race to CME Globe Points

Championship site
https://www.kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com/

Social Media
Twitter: @KPMGWomensPGA
Instagram: @kpmgwomenspga
Hashtag: #KPMGWomensPGA