13th Beach lures world class field for Vic Open
THE Victorian Open will again be the perfect lead-up for the Australian Women’s Open when the championship’s dates are confirmed today.
The Vic Open, the first event in the world to feature men and women playing for equal prizemoney on the same course at the same time, will be played from February 6 to 9 at 13th Beach Golf Club.
The Women’s Australian Open at Royal Adelaide Golf Club tees off from February 13 to 16.
A strong women’s field is predicted for the Vic Open, with golfers set to use the event as a chance to finetune their game ahead of the Australian Open.
Golf Australia operations boss Simon Brookehouse said the tournaments, which were both expanding and incredibly popular with world-class fields, would again put Australia on world golf’s centre stage.
“Both tournaments have been extremely innovative and, as such, have won a place on the world golfing calendar in their own right,” Brookehouse said.
“The partnerships we have with both Victorian and South Australian governments, all the co-sanctioning tours, the host clubs and players themselves makes them unmissable entertainment.”
In a further boost, ISPS Handa will return as the naming rights sponsor of both events.
The LPGA Tour, which jointly sanctions both events with the domestic ALPG, is its ninth consecutive year of affiliation with the women’s national championship and its second with the Vic Open.
LPGA chief executive Mike Whan said the Vic Open was “more than a golf tournament”.
“It’s an important statement about our game, our tours and our fans. Australia has produced so many incredible male and female golfers, so it’s fitting that Australia hosts this inclusionary event, one that puts the game’s best on the same venue for the same purse,” Mr Whan said.
“The ISPS Women’s Australian Open is a premier stop on the LPGA Tour that has delivered an impressive list of winners over the years. What a wonderful opportunity for our fans Down Under to see the world’s best over a two-week period.
“Our players and staff love coming to Australia and I know that we’re all excited to visit both 13th Beach and Royal Adelaide in February.”
The European Tour will again sanction the men’s component of the Vic Open in conjunction with the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia.
“We had a lot of eyes on us last year to see how we’d go with four sanctioning bodies across two concurrent tournaments at 13th Beach, but the way everyone worked in together was extremely positive and befitting the event,” Brookehouse said.
“We are delighted to again partner with all four tours to continue to push the boundaries of how golf tournaments will evolve.”