A pep talk from golfing great Karrie Webb has Minjee Lee primed for the Women's US Open at Pebble Beach, where the Australian will hunt rare back-to- back titles.
Defending champion Lee attended a "Reunion of Champions" for all past tournament winners this week, with the iconic Californian course as the backdrop.
There, Webb reminded the world No.6 that she was the last player to lift successive Women's Open trophies, in 2000-2001, and wanted to see Lee achieve the same feat.
"She said the next one has to be an Aussie too," said Lee ahead of the opening round on Thursday (early Friday AEST).
"A little bit of added pressure, but it was pretty cool for her to say that to me."
Lee is spearheading a five-strong Australian charge that includes fellow major winner Hannah Green, Grace Kim, Gabriela Ruffels and exciting amateur Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, who attends college in Oklahoma.
Although she has yet to win in 2023, the West Australian has been in the mix in her past five events, including a sudden-death playoff loss to world No.1 Jin Young Ko last month at the Cognizant Founders Cup in New Jersey.
The 27-year-old savoured a commanding four-stroke victory in the Open at Pine Needles last year which she described as a special moment, collecting a record $US1.8 million ($A2.5m) in prize-money.
"Just that walk down 18, it was actually really quite quiet for me walking down the 18th fairway onto the green," Lee recalled.
"Everything just kind of went quiet for me, and I could only hear my heartbeat. It was just really cool to see all the people down on the fairway and around the green."
Lee will be among the favourites while South Korean Ko, who last month broke the record for most weeks at No. 1, arrived early to try to capture her first major since 2019.
But the spotlight will be well and truly on 20-year-old American Rose Zhang, who turned professional last month and became the became the first player since 1951 to win on debut.
Zhang also owns the course record 63 at Pebble Beach, set last September in the Carmel Cup college event.
Renowned for its tiny greens with slopes that can range from subtle to severe, Zhang hit all 18 in regulation.
Hinson-Tolchard, who has set her sights on finishing as the top amateur, played a round with Zhang in that tournament and banked a two-under 70 to finish tied for sixth.
Lee played the back nine on Monday at the fabled course, which has been the scene of some of golf's great moments holes like Tiger Woods winning by 15 shots in 2000, and said it would provide a stern test.
"I do love it that the greens are small," she said.
"Ball-striking is going to be really important, especially tee to green. The par-threes are all very strong, so I think they'll be quite a good challenge.
"Overall the course is going to be a really great test for all of us. There's a mix of really great holes, some longer holes, shorter holes and if the wind gets up, it will be quite tough."
