As countryman Greg Norman once did for her, seven-time major winner Karrie Webb has paid it forward to young Australian women such as 22-year-old Hannah Green, the KPMG Women's PGA Championship leader each of its first two rounds.
At 7 under par following Friday's 69, Green has used a scrambling short game and what she deems "luck" to lead big-hitting Ariya Jutanugarn by three shots and two players, including defending champion Sung Hyun Park, by four.
She has done so occupying the same rented house this week as Webb, who entered the World Golf Hall of Fame by age 25. Now 44, Webb shot 6 over par and missed the cut despite Friday's 71 while her mentee extended her one-shot, first-round lead by two more.
"It's awesome," Webb said about Green. "I'm all those girls' biggest cheerleader."
Webb once upon a time spent a tournament week at Norman's house when she was up and coming, so since 2007 she has offered the same. She established the Karrie Webb Series that presented 15 tournaments throughout Australia last season and rewards the top two performers each year with a $10,000 scholarship that covers tournament travel costs. It also provides a week's all-expenses-paid trip to the United States to stay with her in a rented house and watch her work at a major championship.
Green is a two-time recipient, in 2015 and '16. So, too, are current LPGA Tour players Minjee Lee and Su Hyun Oh.
When Green won on the developmental Symetra Tour for the first time in 2017, Webb was the first person to text congratulations. This week, they're back again as housemates.
"It's really nice she wants to help me out and hang out for the week," Green said. "All the scholarship holders feel that way. All of us feel we can reach out and message or call her whenever we need help."
Green needed some help these first two days, particularly when she holed out for par at the long, watery 12th just as she holed out from a bunker for birdie at No. 7 on Thursday. "I've had some luck going my way; I do hope that continues," she said. "I've never put myself in this position in any event, so to be doing it this week at such a great venue definitely shows things are going the right way."
A second-year LPGA Tour player, she's not the longest of hitters on a big, long Hazeltine National course, but she made just one bogey the first two days — and that was her first hole Friday.
"She gets it out there when she wants to," Webb said. "She's long enough to compete."
Green has made four birdies each of the first two days and saved important pars all day Thursday. She did so again Friday at Hazeltine's lakeside signature par-4 16th hole after her second shot bounced toward the reeds into the hazard.
"I made up and do from there," she said, speaking Australian for a par save.
This year's scholarship winners, Grace Kim and Becky Kay, are staying with Webb and Green this week. They've followed Webb both days adorned in Australian flags, the country's colors and tutus, a look Green didn't embrace when she followed Webb at the 2015 U.S. Women's Open in Lancaster, Penn.
"I'm really grateful she has given so much to so many people," said Green, who wore pants and layers Friday after she got cold and wet without rain pants during Thursday's rainy, windy round.
Webb said she considers the scholarship program and her mentorship simply what Norman once did for her. His guidance helped her win 41 times on the LPGA Tour. She also was the tour money winner and Vare Trophy winner for low scoring average three times each and the Rolex Player of the Year twice.
"It's not that big an effort, really," Webb said. "I get just as much joy out of it as they do. It's great to see, getting out here and competing with the best players in the world. Hopefully, Hannah continues to have a strong weekend."
The rented house's eight occupants have worked on a 2,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, an endeavor Green said calms her mind.
"I don't have the patience those girls do," Webb said. "I got about 10 pieces in."
Saturday brings an Australian "barbie" at the house after Green's afternoon third round.
"Looks like I'll be cooking now," Webb said after missing that Friday cut.
