Australia's Hannah Green claimed her first pro win in her home country at this weekend's Vic Open.
Hannah Green is a major champion on the LPGA Tour, so drinking champagne to celebrate a big win is something she’s familiar with. But when the 25-year-old Australian claimed her first professional win on home soil this past weekend at the Vic Open, she combined a familiar tradition with a new twist that admitted we have hopes doesn’t become a tradition in and of itself for very long.
We’ll explain in a second. First, Green shot a closing 71 at 13th Beach Golf Links to win the Vic Open in six shots. Green had won pro-ams previously in Australia, but this her first four-round tournament title, and suffice it to say, she was excited.
“The Vic Open was my first ever professional event [in 22016], so it definitely has special memories coming here,” Green said. “Lots of random memories but good memories here. It's nice to have my name on a proper trophy here.”
The trophy, however, for tournament first held in 1988 is actually a dish, which makes it awfully difficult to hold champagne for a victory sip. So Green chose an alternative “container” for the bubble.
Her golf shoe.
A “shoey” apparently has become a trademark of Australian Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo upon winning a big race. So Green decided to give it a go.
Afterward, Green could be overheard saying: “I’m not wearing that, I need another shoe.”
The shoe is the least of her worries, we’d think.
Give the Aussie credit for, well, being an Aussie, meaning being game to try anything. But here’s hoping that when Green returns to the LPGA Tour and win another event, she might skip the “shoey” part of the celebration.
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