Earlier this week, Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland announced a significant change for the national open championships: the men's and women's tournaments will now be held separately. This strategic decision aims to allow each event to "stand on their own" and "prosper in their own right." The move comes after three years of mixed-format competitions, which had faced criticism from leading players like 2022 Open champion Cam Smith.
Smith, who has been vocal about his discontent with the joint tournament format, expressed optimism about the new direction. He stated his hope for the tournament to return to Melbourne, where it had been held at the Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs in the sandbelt area last November. Smith highlighted the importance of revitalizing the Australian Open, saying:
"Not only do we want to come down and play and obviously support our event, I think it lends itself to have a stronger field, having more guys come down here and play the Australian Open and let it be the event that it once was." – Cam Smith
Lucas Herbert, a teammate of Smith's at Ripper GC, also backed the decision. Herbert acknowledged the achievements over the past three years but emphasized the need for separate tournaments to better cater to different player needs. He noted:
"The ideal course setup for them and the ideal course setup for us is a little different." – Lucas Herbert
The decision by Golf Australia follows an annual event review involving discussions with key stakeholders. Sutherland commented on this process:
"Following our annual event review, which included discussions with key stakeholders, Golf Australia has made the decision to separate the Australian Open men's and women's tournaments." – James Sutherland
The change is endorsed by both Smith and Herbert, who see it as a positive step forward for Australian golf. The separation will allow each championship to develop independently and ensure fair competition conditions. Herbert added:
"I don't think you should set up the courses the same way because it's not fair to either gender…. It's a great move that we're now splitting the Australian Opens." – Lucas Herbert
Meanwhile, golf enthusiasts can look forward to the LIV Golf tournament starting at The Grange in Adelaide this Friday. Smith's team, Ripper GC, which includes Herbert, is based in Australia and continues to contribute significantly to the sport's local scene.
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