Hannah Green wins Women's PGA Championship by one stroke

Author Photo
Hannah Green

Australia's Hannah Green has held her nerve on the final hole to make par and claim the Women's PGA Championship by one stroke.

Green, 22, found herself in the bunker on the 18th but was able to get up and down to secure by far the biggest win of her young career.

The Western Australian led wire-to-wire and took a two-shot lead to the 18th tee at Minneapolis' Hazeltine National Golf Club, though South Korea's Sung Hyun Parl birdied the final hole to keep the pressure on.

Green was ranked 114th in the world prior to the tournament, with defending champ Park ranked 110 places above her.

Though the young Aussie, who was yet to claim and LPGA title, let alone a major, showed nerves of steel down the stretch to close it out with an even-par final-round 72.


"I was really nervous playing the last five holes and I'm just really happy I made a clutch putt because that was what I was struggling with through the middle of the round," a tearful Green said following the win.

"To make the one on the last really is surreal."

Green had Aussie golfing royalty in Karrie Webb in her corner in Minnesota and said it was a thrill to claim her first title in front of a supportive crowd.

"I've always wanted to win in front of an Aussie crowd but I felt like even though I'm not in Australia, that's what it was like today," Green said.

"And to be winning a major as my first event, I'm just over the moon."


Webb, Australia's last LPGA major winner back in 2006, helped Green move to the States four years ago as part of her scholarship program.

Perth's Green pockets a cool $AU830,000 for the win.

Author(s)
Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor for The Sporting News Australia.