Two of Australian golf’s brightest young stars, Su Oh and Hannah Green, have committed to the long-haul flight from the Bahamas to Barwon Heads in order to return to the Oates Vic Open.
The young guns will join fellow LPGA Tour stars Cheyenne Woods and Pernilla Lindberg on an express flight back home and in the stacked 2018 women’s field at 13th Beach Golf Links from February 1.
“I’m flying out Sunday night through Miami to Dallas, then flying to Australia on Monday night to arrive on Wednesday morning before I head down to Barwon Heads,” Oh told Golf Victoria.
“Hopefully we finish in the Bahamas on Sunday, but there’s so many weather delays!”
Victorian Oh will be one of the hot favourites when she tees it up in her seventh Oates Vic Open, no doubt buoyed by an incredible record in her home state Open.
Oh’s Oates Vic Open record boasts five top 6 finishes, including a runner-up performance in 2015 and a T3 last year.
Her lowest finish on the leaderboard was as a 16-year-old in 2013 when she finished T16.
“I know I came second one year, when Marianne Skarpnord won. I had no idea it was that good! Hopefully I’ll go a couple of shots better this time,” said Oh.
“The good thing is I know the course really well. I’m really familiar with the place, I know a lot of the people there and I’ve played a lot of golf at 13th Beach.”
Meanwhile, Green is set to make her fifth appearance at 13th Beach after the 21-year-old produced a career year in the US.
Green made a name for herself on the Symetra Tour – the LPGA’s secondary circuit – in 2017, racking up three wins on her way to a second-placed finish on the money list.
The West Australian’s biggest reward was a promotion to the LPGA Tour in 2018, where she’ll join established stars Oh and Minjee Lee for her rookie season.
“I know how well Hannah did to finish top 5 last year because I know how much of a grind the Symetra Tour is,” said Oh.
“I said if there’s anything you want to ask about then ask away – but she seems like she knows what she’s doing!
“Obviously Hannah and Minjee know each other quite well because they’re both from WA but every time we see each other we try and catch up.”
That trio will give Australian golf fans to cheer about on the world’s biggest women’s tour in 2018, as Lee chases a third LPGA crown and Oh and Green hunt a maiden title.
“All of us have been playing well, including Sarah-Jane [Smith], Katherine [Kirk] won on the LPGA Tour last year, Karrie [Webb] was leading the Scottish Open as well,” said Oh.
“We have great players on the men’s and women’s tours at the moment and hopefully more people get involved and are watching.”
