Major champion Hannah Green says International women’s team could topple the USA
After more than two decades of the men losing to the USA in the Presidents Cup, Australia’s top-ranked female golfer says the women could do better if given a chance.
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A women’s version of the Presidents Cup, or even a mixed-gender event, could be the answer to the International team finally toppling the USA after more than two decades of losses by the men, according to Australian major champion Hannah Green.
Having watched on enviously as first the Solheim Cup, the women’s edition of the Ryder Cup showdown between Europe and the USA, then the biennial President’s Cup played out in September, Green said she wanted her chance to play in something similar.
The International team in the Presidents Cup, which is run by the PGA Tour, is made up of players from non-European countries, including Asia, but has won just one event in 25 years, in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.
A team with just two players in the world’s top 20, including Australian Adam Scott, was comprehensively beaten in Canada last weekend.
But the current women’s world rankings are dominated by players from the Asia-Pacific who would make up a star-studded women’s team.
Green is world No.7, having been as high as five in 2024 on the back of two wins, with all spots from three to eight filled by Lydia Ko from New Zealand and other players from Korea, Japan and Thailand.
There are only five Americans in the world’s top 20, headlined by No.1 Nelly Korda, and Green, who confirmed she was headed home for November’s Australian Open in Melbourne, said a new teams tournament, either combining the men and women or just women, could be bigger than the Solheim Cup.
Green is a dual Olympian, but waiting four years to represent her country didn’t fully satisfy her patriotism.
“We had the International Crown last year which was eight countries and four players from each country, so that was pretty much the only time I get to truly represent my country,” she said from her home in Perth, where she’s enjoying five weeks off before a hectic end to 2024.
“I am fortunate I have the Aussie flag next to my name on the leaderboard every week but even at the Olympics, it’s just a different feeling putting on green and gold.
“But the International Team has struggled the last 10 Cups. I think having the women involved would be really competitive, I think it could even outdo a Solheim Cup or a Ryder Cup.”
Conceding she didn’t know how tournaments were run, or how new ones could fit into an already tight calendar, Green said she and her fellow players had talked about the prospect of a new teams event and urged officials to make it happen.
“Between players it has been spoken about,” she said.
“We don’t know if it’s even on the cards, if anyone is possibly thinking about making it an event. Even if it was Asia-Pacific versus Europe maybe.
“There’s just so many players from Asia and Australia, it would be so competitive. If someone could pick that up, it would be really nice.”
The Australian Open will be played as a dual-gender event, with both men and women on the same course at the same time, for a third time in 2024 across Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf Clubs in Melbourne from November 28-December 1.
Originally published as Major champion Hannah Green says International women’s team could topple the USA
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