Golf: Australia's Green makes history with win in mixed-gender event

Hannah Green won the TPS Murray River event in Australia, the first time a woman has won a 72-hole mixed tournament on any major world tour at this level. PHOTO: HANNAH GREEN/INSTAGRAM

SYDNEY (AFP) - Former US LPGA champion Hannah Green made history on Sunday (Feb 20) by becoming the first woman to win a mixed-gender professional golf tournament with a dominant four-shot victory at the TPS Murray River event in Australia.

The world No. 30 overcame gusty conditions and a host of chasing male rivals to shoot a closing five-under-par 66 at Cobram Barooga Golf Club and clinch the title.

It is the first time a woman has won a 72-hole mixed tournament on any major world tour at this level.

"It's weird. I don't normally have golf dreams - very, very rarely - but I actually had one last night of me after winning. I didn't know how many I won by but for it to come true is really cool," the 25-year-old Australian said.

"I feel amazing. I'm just so grateful that I came," she added, having won the Vic Open last weekend.

"It actually wasn't my plan to play; I was hoping to go back to Perth. Things happen for a reason so I'm really glad that I made it."

Green, the 2019 US LPGA champion, started the final round in a four-way tie for the lead with Andrew Evans, Matthew Millar and Blake Collyer. But she charged clear when she chipped in for eagle on the par-five 10th hole and never looked back.

The tournament was part of PGA Australia's innovative Players Series introduced in 2021, and sees women and men competing on adjusted tees but otherwise level terms for the same prize purse and one trophy.

The previous best result by a woman was Su Oh's equal-third at TPS Victory last year.

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