Ash Buhai has been coming to Australia for so long – since she was a 12-year-old amateur – that it is a blur.

Her first ISPS HANDA Australian Open was at Royal Sydney in 2007, a full 17 years ago, when she was the low amateur and Karrie Webb won again, and she has kept coming back.

The love never goes away. Not even at the end of a long season, when this is the last assignment, would she turn it down.

“I just love coming down here,” said the 2022 and 2023 winner, who is after an historic third consecutive win in the women’s section of the Australian Open. “I've got many family and friends so it's a good way for me to also… Afterwards I take two weeks off and be in Sydney so it's a good way for me to be able to see them.

“And again, I think obviously having the combination of All Abilities, men and women is just amazing. We don't get to play in front of these crowds anytime during the year so I think it's a great event and played on some amazing golf courses every year. Sure it's at the end of the year but at the same time it's one of the best events we play all year.”

Joaquin Niemann is only on his second visit, but he wanted to defend the title that he won at The Australian in Sydney last year, so he is here as well.

The Chilean LIV Golf star has developed a love for all things golf in this country.

“I'm a big fan of both and here in Australia they know how to do the sport,” said Niemann.

“They’ve got the best courses in my opinion. They’ve got really good crowds, good energy outside the golf course and for us, for the players, playing in front of those crowds, it's always a lot of fun.”

Buhai felt a pang of sympathy for Minjee Lee and Hannah Green this week, big stars coming home to try to win their national Open for the first time, and carrying the burden of expectation. No Australian has won the women’s Open since Karrie Webb in 2014 at Victoria. Green and Lee were even denied the chance to practice on the courses – their flight from Florida on Monday did not get into Melbourne until Wednesday, and the weather forced Golf Australia to close the course at Kingston Heath.

“Obviously I know how hard it is to win your Open,” said the South African. “Like I say, (for) any player, it's the next thing next to a major. Obviously I'm happy for myself, that I'm able to come over again and I’ve been able to do it, but I think it’s difficult because you put that extra bit of pressure on yourself.

“I know when I went back and played the South African Open after winning the Women's British (Open), I mean it was the most pressure I felt. Especially because of the expectation. You're expected to win. Especially when ‘Webby’ used to come down and the expectation for her, she's just expected to do it, which makes it very difficult.

"You’ve got all Aussie girls that are top 20 in the world and higher-ranked players in Hannah and Minjee and there's expectation there. I think it's just a case of how you deal with it during the week.”

Buhai and Niemann tee off this afternoon as the Open begins at Kingston Heath and Victoria.