Sure, we’ve endured our share of major championship heartaches. But in the big scheme of things, we’ve had plenty of reasons to get/stay up in the middle of the night and barrack like hell.

If I asked you to stop for a second and ponder whether or not you’ve had multiple winning Aussie alternatives in mind BEFORE any major, chances are you’d come up with a couple of options.

But before you do, remember that I’m talking legitimate chances, not just names hyped up as hopefuls.

Your answers, I suspect, might be age dependent, which points again to our long-term depth. Maybe it’s Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson in 1960 at the Open; maybe it’s David Graham and Jack Newton in 1980 at the Masters; maybe you had Greg Norman and some combination of Mike Harwood, Wayne Grady, Craig Parry, Ian Baker-Finch, Peter Senior or Brett Ogle in a range of Opens in the late 1980s and early 1990s; or maybe you had Adam Scott and Jason Day at the 2013 Masters.

Regardless, I’ll take a punt that not one of you thought of our Aussie women. And that despite Karrie Webb having been a perpetual threat for more than two decades and Jan Stephenson a regular contender in the previous generation.

As good as Rachel Hetherington was around the turn of the century, or as hot as Lindsey Wright was around 2009, you couldn’t have considered the Aussies a dual or triple threat by that earlier criteria.

Well, all of the above is about to change – and hopefully for the foreseeable future.

The 2023 U.S Women’s Open will feature four legitimate Aussie chances. That they’re on the biggest stage in the women’s game’s history only makes that even more noteworthy.

In Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Grace Kim and Gabi Ruffels, I put it to you we are packing arguably the best foursome of contenders we’ve ever fielded in a major. Naturally we’ve had many more men in some instances, but it’s tough to recall one with four guns in such spectacular – and winning – form.

That’s not to forget another rapidly emerging hope in amateur Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, will make her U.S Women’s Open debut, plus another couple of hopefuls in Sarah Kemp and Sarah Jane Smith are alternates.

And all this on the mighty Pebble Beach.

***

It’s a lovely place, Spokane.

Spectacular rapids along the river that bares the same name gives Spokane a focal point as a regional hub in eastern Washington state. Basketball is huge – it’s world-famous Hoopfest and collegiate powerhouse Gonzaga ensure hoops remains constantly near the back page.

There’s a smattering of professional soccer and the city’s Chiefs are a perennial source of interest in the predominantly Canadian Western Hockey League.

Golf is far from an afterthought with more than a dozen courses to service the 230,000-ish population a great number.

RIGHT: Minjee Lee with the trophy in 2023. PHOTO: Getty Images. 

And not that Wikipedia has any authority, but you’d read about nine public courses and two other private facilities before you come to mention of what is now the Kalispel Golf and Country Club.

Back in the day, as the Spokane Country Club, this lovely little course was deemed worthy of hosting the inaugural United States Women’s Open.

And although you’d have to check the USGA’s minutes to see whether or not the second World War played any part in its decision around its national women’s championship in 1946, this still seems extraordinary.

Admittedly the LPGA Tour was still four years away, but it’s not unfair to say that this was among the humblest of beginnings for what would become one of the premier events in the world of women’s sport.

Flash forward 77 years and as the deepest field in the history of women’s golf beats a path to California’s Monterey Peninsula, those who appreciate that journey from such obscurity can only hope it receives its just notoriety.

Pebble Beach, the iconic seaside course, which has hosted six men’s U.S Opens and seven U.S Amateurs (five for men and two for women), has finally had its number called by the USGA for its flagship female event.

It features a couple of golf’s most spectacular and memorable holes and was already legendary before Jack Nicklaus declared: “If I had one round of golf left to play, I’d play it at Pebble Beach.”

With obvious exceptions at Oakmont and Pinehurst – and admittedly doing a smattering of other outstanding previous host clubs a disservice – it seems apparent the USGA has finally committed to top-tier venues for its female showpiece.

Right: Hannah Green recently returned to the winner’s circle on the LPGA Tour. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Clubs including Riviera, Chicago and the sensational Merion will host the U.S Women’s Open for the first time in the next dozen years as the tournament really comes of age.

Before this week, Minjee Lee had never played at Pebble Beach, but when she was younger, her golf-loving grandparents took the family on a tour around famous 17-Mile Drive to see not only the host course, but it’s equally imposing neighbours including Cypress Point, Poppy Hills, Monterey Peninsula Country Club and The Links at Spanish Bay.

“I think it’s awesome we get to play some iconic tracks and have courses like Pebble on our roster,” Lee said.

“It took a brief time, but I think this is what we have always deserved.”

***

Lee’s voice is not often heard, but like any multiple major champion, it carries substantial weight.

That’s even more so when she comes to defend the crown she won in such dominant fashion at Pine Needles last year, recording the lowest total score in championship history en route.

The pocket rocket from Royal Fremantle, long revered for her ball-striking, gained more than three strokes on the field from tee to green, remarkably having an average proximity to the hole of only 15 feet for all shots 175 yards and closer. She then obliterated the field by making 23 of 34 putts between five and 25 feet, a 68 percent conversion rate compared to the field average of 46 percent.

It was one of the most dominant major performances in years and after coming so close at the AIG Women’s Open in 2020, winning the Evian Championship in 2021, it helped along Lee’s belief she belonged at the pointy end of the events that matter – even if she’s too modest to say her growing record overawes her opponents.

“I’m not sure if it’s imposing, but I hope I make them a little nervous,” she said with a smile.

“I just do my very best each week, stick to my game plan and my processes. That’s all you can do.

“I remember last year really playing well in the third round, when I put some distance between myself and the rest of the field and really playing to my strengths and playing smart when I had to.

“I definitely think I play better when it’s tough. I enjoy the challenge and also the creativity that you have to use for tougher situations.”

Which, on USGA set-ups and on courses with some quirky, testing holes such as Pebble Beach, is the ideal mindset.

But, even as the standout Aussie hope on paper, Lee’s happily aware that her good mates are among those best equipped to challenge – reinforced by the recent International Crown when the Australian team was runner-up among the world’s best.

“Definitely, with Hannah winning the prior week, Grace winning in Hawaii and Gabriela on (the) Epson (Tour) and many other Aussies doing so well,” she said.

“I enjoy their low-key cheekiness … but (in the heat of battle) all Aussies are fighters, so I think being Australian you have the competitiveness embedded in you.”

***

Hannah Green grew up with Lee, often in her shadow in West Australian teams.

Green, though, beat Lee to the major championship punch with her victory at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2019.

Green’s bona fides are well documented, particularly with not only her recent win in the LA Championship, but her determination now to balance the demands of living in a suitcase with spending time back in Perth.

The pair, Australia’s third and fourth female major champions, both idolise the second, Karrie Webb, and will talk all day about the help the Queenslander offered them as they rose through the ranks.

It stands to reason two such fine ambassadors would want to pay that wisdom and generosity forward; so it’s no surprise at all to see their success breeding what they hope will be more success ahead for their compatriots.

Grace Kim, at just 22, is the pin-up girl of that winning mentality. A prolific amateur, including being the gold medallist at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina, the Sydneysider has taken to pro golf like a duck to water with six victories in just two years, including April’s Lotte Championship in her rookie LPGA Tour season.

Right: Pebble Beach’s little par-3 7th hole will be pivotal in determining the U.S Open Champion. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Some might suggest Kim, particularly on her first trip to Pebble Beach, might be out of her depth in a major, but those fortunate enough to have seen her straight-hitting style is custom ordered for this oceanside challenge.

“Minjee and Hannah obviously have done it before, but I am confident enough to say any of us Aussie girls can win at Pebble,” Kim beams.

“The girls that represented Australia at the International Crown proved to everyone that you can’t underestimate the Aussies.

“We tend to fight on playing in tougher conditions (such as Pebble). We all know our strengths and weaknesses, so we try out best to work with it, not against it.”

It’s just Kim’s third major, but she has already made the cut in finishing 63rd behind Lee at this event last year when she’ll happily admit she had stars in her eyes.

“The win makes you more confident your game holds up (on the LPGA Tour) … but it’s a major and always going to be tough condition wise,” Kim said.

“The energy surrounding the event is notched up a level, so high expectations are a given, but I’m not going to focus on that … just going to try and play some good golf.”

Ruffels has the same mentality – and penchant for success – in many ways.

The American-based Victorian, who recently turned 23, has already saluted twice on the secondary Epson Tour this year, all but ensuring her path to the LPGA Tour after she delayed that push to finish her studies at the University of Southern California.

Ruffels continued that winning feeling with success at the Canadian qualifier in Vancouver to book her ticket to Pebble Beach and, as her success rate justifies, she’s also quietly confident.

And while it might sound to outsiders qualifiers have no place in title reckoning, Ruffels has two key tricks up her sleeves.

RIGHT: Grace Kim is already an LPGA winner and has a game well-suited to Pebble Beach and the U.S Open. PHOTO: Getty Images.

This is definitely not her first major championship rodeo. In fact, Ruffels was in contention late in the 2020 Chevron Championship and showed her credentials at this event with a bold 13th at the 2020 edition in Texas, both results coming as an amateur.

More importantly, though, is Ruffels has a sensational record at USGA events, including becoming the first Australian woman to win the world’s premier amateur event, the U.S Women’s Amateur, in 2019 then taking her title defence the following season all the way to the 38th hole of the final.

“I really like USGA events. I love playing at their venues and under the almost perfect conditions that they get their courses to, it’s a privilege to play in them,” Ruffels beamed.

“Also, I love the challenge of their course set-ups as well, they’re known to be some of the toughest set-ups all year, so I look forward to seeing how I can step up to that immense challenge.”

And while Ruffels took a different route to this point in following her champion tennis playing mother to USC, she’s absolutely proud to be wearing the green and gold.

“I definitely feel like there’s a genuine wave of Aussies making noise together, it’s a good bunch coming up,” Ruffels said.

“Especially this year, I feel like we’ve all been kind of riding on each other’s momentum of good play with consecutive winners on international Tours in the past couple of months. It’s so great to see!”

Another factor working in Ruffels’ favour is her familiarity with the host course, possibly more than almost everyone in the field.

“I’ve been able to play at Pebble Beach a few times now as I’ve been invited to the TaylorMade Pebble Beach Invitational the past two years. I love it!” said Ruffels excitedly.

“It’s one of my favourite places and it will be an historic week for the women getting to play at such a prestigious venue for the first time.

“So yes, I think I can win, but all facets of your game have to be firing this week and if not, I’m sure Pebble will expose them.”

And if all that confidence – as understated as it is – isn’t enough to get you enthused about our chances this time, give it a moment to sink through.

Because with any luck, we might have these women – and more – give us a major thrill ride for a generation to come.