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Australian golfer Hannah Green says she can feel the pressure to win this week's Australian Open at Royal Adelaide.
Hannah Green feels the pressure to deliver a local victory in the Women's Australian Open golf tournament.
Green says there's no point hiding from it, so she's embracing expectation of becoming just the fourth Australian to win their national Open.
"There's definitely going to be a lot more expectation on myself," Green told reporters on Wednesday.
"I have got to make sure that I'm not pushing myself too hard and possibly setting myself up for failure."
Green knows what to expect when teeing off at Royal Adelaide in Thursday's opening round.
Now a Major champion and a two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, the 23-year-old from Perth realises she'll be the centre of attention.
Which is why, when no-one was looking a month ago, she snuck into Royal Adelaide on a reconnaissance mission.
"I knew this week would be pretty busy and that I would be pretty tired from all my commitments," Green said.
Demands for her time have risen since her wire-to-wire triumph in the women's PGA last June.
"I have had obviously a lot more requests for media stuff which has been very different for me so I think that is probably the biggest thing that has changed in my life the last year or so," she said.
"I definitely get more attention when I'm back in Australia, at golf courses in Western Australia particularly.
"It's just making sure that I am still staying the same type of person as I was last year and in my rookie year.
"It (being a Major champion) can definitely get to your head and you can definitely become a different person - and I hope that doesn't happen."
Karrie Webb (five times), Jan Stephenson and Jane Crafter are the only locals to win an Australian Open. Green has finished in the top-10 the past three editions.
"It's definitely one of the harder events to win for anyone that plays their own national Open," she said.
"But I have had some good results the last few years, I have been in contention.
"I had a good result last week (when tied 11th at the Vic Open) so I feel like I'm slowly getting the rust off.
"Hopefully I can have a good week and have some fun out there."
