'I expect better': top-ranked Aussie Green resets focus

While she banked a career-best three titles in 2024, top-ranked Australian golfer Hannah Green expects better of herself in the LPGA major championships and is making it a priority this year.

The world No.6 West Australian will start her year this week at the Tournament of Champions at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Florida, which pairs winners from the past two seasons on the LPGA Tour with celebrities from music, entertainment and sport.

Next month she will defend her title at the Women's World Championship in Sentosa, Singapore, which set her on course to become first Australian since Karrie Webb in 2006 to notch three wins in a single LPGA season.

While she said she's eager to retain that trophy, she wants to do better in the five majors of women's golf, and more specifically in the first round, to add to another title to her 2019 Women's PGA Championship win.

The 28-year-old never really nailed the start of any of those tournaments, posting rounds of 77, 71, 76, 73 and 77 - missing the cut altogether at the Chevron Championship and the Women's Open.

At the Paris Olympics she missed a medal play-off by one shot, left to rue an opening five-over 77 at Le Golf National.

"Even though I did have three wins last year, I didn't perform very well in the major championships, I think I missed at least two cuts," Green said from Florida.

"With the ranking that I am in the world, I expect better things of myself.

"The first round that I've had in all the majors has always been a high score ... I think I would have one of the best Sunday stroke averages, but then my first round was quite high.

"Once I actually got off to a good start in a tournament, I was ending up with a good result, so that's something that I've noticed."

Green said she wasn't sure if it her "game plan" or putting too much pressure on herself, but she planned to change her scheduling so she arrived at each of the majors at her best.

She also hoped to have her coach Ritchie Smith, who also mentors Minjee Lee and her brother Min Woo Lee, at the big tournaments to see if he could pinpoint any weaknesses.

"I'm trying to schedule not playing too much prior to those events so that I'm not burnt out, to give myself the best chance of feeling fresh for those weeks as they are a bit more draining than typical.

"Hopefully I can get off to better starts on Thursday and be up contending instead."

After a long and busy year, Green gave herself three weeks off at home before starting a new-look schedule in 2025.

"It's an earlier start of the season than I typically have had in the last eight years as a professional," she said.

"But I felt like my pre-season was a lot easier this year compared to other years just because I have been in some good form and I haven't had too many things to work on.

"I felt like because I had come off such a good year, this was probably the best time for me to come and actually play this event."