Australian golf star Cam Smith hopes Victoria’s famous sandbelt golf courses will host the Australian Open tournament again this year, but the state government has made no commitment to host the event in 2025.
Two of the past three dual-format national titles have been played at Kingston Heath and Victoria golf courses, but other sandbelt courses such as Royal Melbourne, Huntingdale, Metropolitan or Peninsula-Kingswood country golf clubs could also host the tournament.
Cameron Smith at last year’s Australian OpenCredit: Getty Images
The Victorian government has exclusive negotiating rights this year to host the tournament. Last week, the government announced it would be hosting America’s NFL for a game at the MCG in 2026, and Victoria plays host to number of annual international sporting events, including the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix and the first tennis grand slam of the year, the Australian Open.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas told the ABC recently that he would be open to discussions to host the golf tournament, which was held in NSW from 2005-19 and in 2023.
Visit Victoria remained non-committal: “As Australia’s major events capital, we’re always looking at new opportunities and events for our calendar,” a spokesperson said.
Golf Australia announced on the weekend it had abandoned dual-format Australian Open tournaments after three years. Smith led the chorus of criticism from players about the mixed format during last year’s event at Kingston Heath.
Australian star Hannah Green also backed his calls to play the women’s tournament in a different timeslot after arriving jet-lagged to play in December.
The British Open champion Smith told reporters ahead of LIV Golf Adelaide he was excited about the return to the old format, declaring it a new beginning for the Australian Open. He was also hopeful it could remain in Victoria so he could play the famous sandbelt courses.
“They have some great golf courses that people want to play,” Smith said.
“I definitely want it to be the best that it can be and be the fifth major, it’d be unbelievable.
“But we have got to start somewhere and hopefully this is the starting point.”
Last year’s dual tournament, won by American Ryggs Johnston and South Korea’s Jiyai Shin, attracted record crowds to Kingston Heath and Victorian Golf Clubs. But LIV Golf’s Lucas Herbert – who finished fifth in the tournament – told this masthead a return to separate tournaments was necessary.
“I don’t think it is fair to anyone to get both of them into one week,” Australian Herbert said.
“The girls deserve a week to showcase their skills in the right way and by the same boat the men deserve the same thing too.
“We will get better fields having it being men’s only and women’s only. I think everyone is going to get a win out of it. It was a good experiment to try, but I do think after three years now is a good time to go to a men’s only event.”
Herbert plays alongside Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones in the Ripper GC team, which won the LIV Golf teams title last season. Herbert, Smith and Leishman all played in the Australian Open and Australian PGA and have consistently backed the Australian tour – Ripper GC is the principal partner of Golf Australia’s MyGolf program for juniors.
Herbert finished tied for fourth in the first LIV Golf event this year and Leishman sixth. The team is aiming to repeat last year’s victory.
“It feels like a bit of pressure to back it up this year,” Herbert said.
