Hannah Green is about to skip a women’s major so that she can fulfil her homebody emotions back in Perth.
Green told media today in Michigan, where she is playing the Meijer Classic, that she was returning to Australia after next week’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship to spend time with family, skipping five weeks of tournaments.
She will resuming at the Tokyo Olympics, where she will represent Australia as an Olympian for the first time. It means she will miss one of the majors – the Evian Championship in France in July which she described as a “tough” decision.
But Green, 24, is adamant that she needs some time at home, where she will have to go through a fortnight’s quarantine at a Sydney hotel.
“It was either take five weeks off after KPMG or take about seven weeks off after British,” she said. “I feel like I’m ready to go home. Obviously really excited for this week and next week, but it’s slowly taking its toll on me mentally. I’m starting to get a bit homesick. Very excited that three and a half weeks I’m I’ll be in my own bed.”
Green changed her program two years ago to combat the homesickness that was troubling her, ensuring that she makes at least one trip home during each season. She has recently taken over from Minjee Lee as the top-ranked Australian female player in the world at No. 14.
Meanwhile rookie professional Gabi Ruffels has scored an invitation to play in the Women’s PGA next week for the first time.
Ruffels, who is trying to play her way to a full LPGA Tour card through sponsor’s invitations this year, is also playing in Michigan this week. But her appearance at a major is something special. “One of the tournament organizers sent me an email and I got an email from the LPGA with the entry form for the KPMG,” Ruffels told media today.
“So it was two emails, and I got it like three hours late after my practice round on Monday I’m pretty sure. I was so excited. I was in the car with my coach Grant (Waite), my mom (Anna Maria) and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, you wouldn’t believe it. I just got into KPMG’.
“It was cool. I texted my manager straightaway because I know they had been working on that. So, yeah as you can tell, I’m pretty excited.”
As Hannah heads home, local WA Amateurs Hayden Hopewell and Kirsten Rudgeley prepare to head to the US and UK tomorrow. Watch this space for an update on their tournament plans, joining Josh Greer, Connor McKinney and Adam Brady in the UK and US.
Safe travels to you all.
