Paris Olympics 2024: Hannah Green’s sights set on golf gold

No Australian has ever won an Olympic medal in golf, but Hannah Green’s incredible finish in Singapore has got her believing anything is possible.

Hannah Green admires the trophy after winning the HSBC Women's World Championship. Picture: Getty Images

The lure of Olympic gold has got Australia’s hottest current golfer thinking outside the square.

Not only is she hatching plans to get herself on the podium at this year’s Paris Olympics, but Hannah Green is also trying to figure out how she can bring her closest friends along for the ride.

Although the final selection won’t be decided until late June, Green is now all but assured of being one of Australia’s two female golfers at Paris after her stunning win in last weekend’s women’s world championship in Singapore.

No Australian has ever won an Olympic medal in golf, but Green’s incredible finish in Singapore - where she reeled off birdies in each of the last three holes - has got her believing anything is possible.

Hannah Green kisses the trophy after winning the HSBC Women's World Championship in Singapore. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s definitely been on my mind. Ever since we finished in Tokyo,” she said.

“I do rate it highly. A gold medal is such an amazing achievement no matter what sport you’re playing.

“I rank it just as high as a major championship, even more exclusive, happening only once every four years.

“I hope that I can give it my best shot this year. Obviously, I want to make the team, then obviously try and get a medal as well.”

Hannah Green finished fifth at the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: AFP

Making the team for Paris should be the easy bit for Green.

Although the final field won’t be decided until the rankings cut-off on June 24, Green and Minjee Lee look to have a mortgage on the two available Australian berths.

Both major winners who were raised in Perth, the same pair represented Australia in Tokyo.

If Green had her way, they’d be teaming up - not only with each other, but also with the Australian men.

“I think it would actually be really cool to have some sort of team event at the Olympics,” Green said.

“I know that might be difficult to try and schedule that, but just to have some sort of team environment, whether they do individual or just completely team, I think that would be a lot of fun.”

There are no plans at the moment for a team event at the Olympics but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen in the future because mixed gender events are all the rage in other sports.

Hannah Green (left) sprays Minjee Lee with champagne as she celebrates her victory at the end of the BMW Ladies Championship in October, 2023. Picture: AFP

Hannah Green celebrates victory in the HSBC Women's World Championship. Picture: Getty Images

And in Australia’s case, that could open the way for Minjee Lee to join forces with her brother Min Woo, who is also on track to qualify for Paris.

He is currently the second best-ranked Australian man, behind Jason Day, but that’s primarily because Australia’s 2022 British Open champion Cameron Smith has plummeted down the rankings since joining the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV circuit.

LIV CEO Greg Norman has described the men’s world ranking system as a sham, and only this week he officially withdrew LIV’s application to have players receive world ranking points from its tournaments.

The future over the ranking threatens to overshadow the men’s tournament in Paris but Green said she hopes a solution can be found.

“It’s difficult because there are so many talented players that are playing LIV,” she said.

“I guess they know what they’re getting themselves into. And if they didn’t, I think they would be lying.

“It’s difficult because there are some players that probably deserve to represent their country.”

Minjee Lee caddied for her brother Min Woo at a Par Three Contest prior to the 2022 Masters. She would prefer to play as a team at a future Olympic Games. Picture: Getty Images

While some of the top male golfers have been ambivalent to playing the Olympics, the women have always treated it on par with the majors.

Newly married to fellow pro golfer Jarryd Felton, Green already has one major under her belt - the 2019 women’s PGA Championship - and is honing her game perfectly in time for this year’s first major - next month’s Chevron Championship in Texas.

Their hectic schedules mean Green and her husband don’t spend as much time together as they would like but it’s something they have managed to make work.

“Jared and I have been dating for nearly 12 years, so we were quite young when we first started dating and we’ve always wanted to be professional golfers,” Green said.

“I think we understand the sacrifice a little bit more because we’ve just wanted this and been chasing this dream for so long.

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not fun. I wouldn’t recommend it. If I had the option, I would definitely love to see each other more but we’re both trying to be the best golfers that we can be.”