Australia’s golf aces get their ninth and last crack of the year to capture a major championship when the Women’s Open Championship begins on Thursday.

This week’s Open will be held at St Andrews, the spiritual home of golf where Cameron Smith entered sporting folklore as Australia’s 16th and most recent major winner two years ago.

“It’s a very special place obviously, just coming down the 18th hole with all the beautiful scenes of the hotel and everything. It’s been very cool to play,” Green said after a practice round on Tuesday.

For all their stellar efforts, Australia’s men’s and women’s stars have fallen short in their sport’s biggest and most prestigious tournaments thus far this year.

Lee frittered away a three-stroke final-round lead when a second US Open crown beckoned.

Smith couldn’t buy a putt all week in finishing tied for sixth at the Masters, while Green — one of only three multiple winners on the LPGA Tour in 2024 — is teeing up for the first time since finishing fourth and agonisingly out of the medals at the Paris Olympics.

The world number five is eager to atone but knows St Andrews is a vastly different proposition than the Olympic layout.

Two-time major winner Lee could be forgiven for what might have been this year.

In addition to her dramatic collapse at the US Open, the one-time world number two also faded uncharacteristically last Sunday to tie for 12th at the Scottish Open, having enjoyed a share of the halfway lead.

Still, women’s golf’s sweetest ball striker can be heartened by her latest links form and buoyed by three top-five finishes from her past four Open starts.

Lee’s putting down the stretch may again be key as the 28-year-old and fellow WA star Green spearhead a seven-strong Australian challenge featuring three-time Open champion Karrie Webb playing on a past winner’s exemption.

The three major winners will be the first Australians out in Thursday’s opening round, teeing off early hoping for the best of conditions.

Rounding out the Australian contingent are Grace Kim, Steph Kyriacou, LPGA Tour rookie of the year leader Gabriela Ruffels and fellow rising star Hira Naveed.

AAP