Home grown golfers hold favouritism at Australian Opens
Minjee Lee with her US Women’s Open trophy in Melbourne this week – photo Golf Australia
Australian golf creates history this week when both the men’s and women’s Australian Open Championship are played concurrently at the Victorian and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs in Melbourne’s famed sandbelt.
While the concept and format has been used successfully at the Vic Open in the past few years, this is the first time for the concept of both a men’s and women’s national open being played concurrently at the same venues being introduced and along with the attractions of Open Champion Cameron Smith and US Women’s Open winner Minjee Lee, the format itself will add further interest.
With both Smith and Lee in their respective fields, the events promise to brings the sort of crowds not seen at an Australian Open since the heady days of Greg Norman.
At last week’s Australian PGA Championship, Cameron Smith’s international success in 2022, that he is now one of the top three players in the game and that he was a local, made that event the most attended for many years and this week promises the same.
The host venue, The Victoria Golf Club, might not carry the same profile as the likes of nearby Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath but it is considered one of Australia’s best and will provide a fine test of golf along with its joint venue in the opening two rounds, Kingston Heath.
Cameron Smith perhaps summed it up best yesterday when he reminded all that the two courses demand everything of a golfer’s game.
“I think these courses down here demand everything of you, so you need to be spot on. So, no real time to waste over the next couple of days,” said Smith on Tuesday.
“I think these golf courses are a really good mix between that Links golf and almost like Augusta,” added Smith. “You get to play plenty of shots, you have to, to play good golf around here. I feel like I play my best golf when I’m creative and I’m just happy to be down here.
“I think as a kid growing up playing the amateur stuff down here and stuff like that, you take it for granted. You go everywhere else around the world and realise that this is the best that golf has got to offer. It’s just cool to be back down here.”
Smith is the highest world ranked player in the field followed by New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, Fox missing the cut last week in Brisbane although there were genuine excuses for the man who finished runner-up in the DP World Tour rankings in 2022.
Adam Scott was perhaps disappointing last week but he gets another chance to win his first tournament in Melbourne since his 2013 Talisker Masters victory.
Others considered genuine chances to challenge for the title include but are not limited to Lucas Herbert, Min Woo Lee and Cameron Davis.
Minjee Lee heads the women’s field as she chases a first Australian Women’s Open Championship. She will be joined by fellow Australian hopes, Hannah Green, Stephanie Kyriacou and Grace Kim and Major winners in 2022, the AIG Women’s Open Champion Ashleigh Buhai, and Chevron Championship Jennifer Kupcho.
Lee spoke to the media this morning and expressed her delight in being able to play such a unique format especially with her brother (Min Woo Lee) in the men’s field.
“Yeah, I mean it’s pretty cool to be able to play with the men and also the All Abilities tournament that’s going on all at the same time,” said the West Australian. “Obviously playing with Min Woo and being able to see him is really special to me. Just being back in Australia I think is really cool. I haven’t played in a couple of years back home, so I think it’s going to be a great turnout and I’m looking forward to seeing all the fans come out and maybe a lot of little kids here and there. I think it will be really fun.
“I think the Australian Open, your national championship is always really high on the list. For me, I always want to do well. The previous Aussie Opens that I have played, I think I haven’t quite shown that as much, so hopefully I can settle the nerves and just enjoy it and just play well for me and play well for the Australian crowd
“It may not be LPGA right now but I think it always has a special place in my heart and I always love coming back to Australia and playing. We don’t get too many opportunities to do that, so whenever I get the chance, I do like coming back.”
108 women and 156 men take their place in the field where the opening two rounds are flipflopped between the Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs before those making the cut focus their attention on the Victoria Golf Club for the final 36 holes.
Both events carry prizemoney of A$1.7 million.
