2018 Australian Open

[Ogden51]

The Australian Open is being this week at The Lakes GC and haven’t seen a word about it. Seems to be 0 hype around it this year which is a real shame. I’ll be out there watching the weekend.

[rangersgoalie]

Sad how the Australian Tour has diminished so much from a global perspective

 

Great courses, great fans, but too small a sponsor pool to create a strong/independent tour that would attract enough great players

The countries (along with NZ) should have

[ALIF]

I hope it is on TV at least on the golf channel or streaming online because I would really like to watch. I love the Australian tour. I think the courses are amazing over there.

[Darth Putter]

It's been a bad confluence of events.

 

Spieth isn't coming with his wedding soon.

 

Jason Day just had his third child.

 

It got moved up a week to make room for next week's World Cup, so it's opposite the European Tour final knocking out a lot of possible top players.

 

It's also up against a big Japanese tournament, the Dunlop Phoenix.

 

Marc Leishman will play the World Cup next week and Adam Scott isn't coming down to Australia at all. (late correction, Adam is in Sydney this week to meet with his local charities, he's just taking time off from golf)

 

Top players that will be there.

 

Matt Kuchar world #29

Keegan Bradley #30

Cameron Smith #33 and the top Australian

Brandt Snedeker #49

Byeong Hun An #51

Abraham Ancer #96

Brendan Steele #102

Cameron Davis #110 and the defending champ

Aniriban Lahiri #131

Nicolas Colsaerts #173

everyone else is outside the Top 200

New pro Norman Xiong is also in the field as is US Amateur Champion Viktor Hovland.

 

 

Overall SoF is 89 but as this tours "flagship event" first place gets the full 32 OWGR points. The RSM Classic in the US is 100 SoF and 24 points for first place.

 

 

This event does have a proud history. Former winners include Jack Nicklaus (6 times, he loved the fishing), Gary Player (7 wins), Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Peter Thomson, Bobby Locke, Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.

 

Former champion Geoff Ogilvy gives his view.

 

https://www.golfaust...s-lustre-515337

[Darth Putter]

The Australian Open announced that the 2019 event will be in its logical spot, the week before the President's Cup in early December. Normally, this would attract some of the American President's Cup team to come over and play.

 

Unfortunately, Captain Tiger has scheduled his HERO Challenge for the same week.

[grm24]

 

It's also up against a big Japanese tournament, the Dunlop Phoenix.

 

Brooks K. going for the 3-peat.

[Ogden51]

The Australian Open announced that the 2019 event will be in its logical spot, the week before the President's Cup in early December. Normally, this would attract some of the American President's Cup team to come over and play.

 

Unfortunately, Captain Tiger has scheduled his HERO Challenge for the same week.

 

Such a shame! I didn’t know that, was really hoping for a big field for its last time being held in Sydney.

[iBanesto]

It's been a bad confluence of events.

 

Spieth isn't coming with his wedding soon.

 

Jason Day just had his third child.

 

It got moved up a week to make room for next week's World Cup, so it's opposite the European Tour final knocking out a lot of possible top players.

 

It's also up against a big Japanese tournament, the Dunlop Phoenix.

 

Marc Leishman will play the World Cup next week and Adam Scott isn't coming down to Australia at all. (late correction, Adam is in Sydney this week to meet with his local charities, he's just taking time off from golf)

 

Top players that will be there.

 

Matt Kuchar world #29

Keegan Bradley #30

Cameron Smith #33 and the top Australian

Brandt Snedeker #49

Byeong Hun An #51

Abraham Ancer #96

Brendan Steele #102

Cameron Davis #110 and the defending champ

Aniriban Lahiri #131

Nicolas Colsaerts #173

everyone else is outside the Top 200

New pro Norman Xiong is also in the field as is US Amateur Champion Viktor Hovland.

 

 

Overall SoF is 89 but as this tours "flagship event" first place gets the full 32 OWGR points. The RSM Classic in the US is 100 SoF and 24 points for first place.

 

 

This event does have a proud history. Former winners include Jack Nicklaus (6 times, he loved the fishing), Gary Player (7 wins), Arnold Palmer, Gene Sarazen, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Peter Thomson, Bobby Locke, Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.

 

Former champion Geoff Ogilvy gives his view.

 

https://www.golfaust...s-lustre-515337

 

Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Emiliano Grillo and Andrew Putnam are playing in the Dunlop Phoenix this week,

[OldTomMorris]

Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Emiliano Grillo and Andrew Putnam are playing in the Dunlop Phoenix this week,

 

I'd like to see coverage, I remember them showing it in the UK when Tiger played that event. I've always found watch golf from Japan particularly fascinating.

[iBanesto]

Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama, Emiliano Grillo and Andrew Putnam are playing in the Dunlop Phoenix this week,

 

I'd like to see coverage, I remember them showing it in the UK when Tiger played that event. I've always found watch golf from Japan particularly fascinating.

 

A lot of good Japanese players around and they are always competitive at home.

[Snowm4n]

Looking forward to it. Pity they won’t broadcast the morning matches too.

The lakes is the best course I have played and the back 9 is an incredible design. Lots of risk/reward holes. I will be out there on Friday hoping the weather holds out.

[OutBackHack]

Sad how the Australian Tour has diminished so much from a global perspective

 

Great courses, great fans, but too small a sponsor pool to create a strong/independent tour that would attract enough great players

The countries (along with NZ) should have

 

A few of us were talking about that today on the range at the RSM... Apparently the prize money is the same now as 20 years ago..... That's not good.

[MattyO1984]

Terrible slot for the tournament to get. The last few years with winners like Scott, McIlory and Spieth on some pretty cool golf courses from a TV point of view made it a good event to watch especially at this time of year but I must admit, I literally had no idea that it was even on this week.

[Ogden51]

Sad how the Australian Tour has diminished so much from a global perspective

 

Great courses, great fans, but too small a sponsor pool to create a strong/independent tour that would attract enough great players

The countries (along with NZ) should have

 

A few of us were talking about that today on the range at the RSM... Apparently the prize money is the same now as 20 years ago..... That's not good.

 

The purse is $1.2m and considering Kuch made $1.3 on his own last week it just seems insane!

[Snowm4n]

Vijay Singh was talking about this when the Fiji International was on. I agree with him. Pretty pathetic that the money pool hasn't increased.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/singh-whacks-australian-golf-s-prize-money

 

Also with it being a qualifying event for the Open Championship, I think it should be given a little more exposure.

It would be helpful if it could be co sanctioned with the PGA Tour or Eu Tour. That is something that the European Tour seems to be doing really well in taking on events around the globe (Malaysia/South Africa etc)

[Darth Putter]

Vijay Singh was talking about this when the Fiji International was on. I agree with him. Pretty pathetic that the money pool hasn't increased.

https://www.sbs.com....f-s-prize-money

 

Also with it being a qualifying event for the Open Championship, I think it should be given a little more exposure.

It would be helpful if it could be co sanctioned with the PGA Tour or Eu Tour. That is something that the European Tour seems to be doing really well in taking on events around the globe (Malaysia/South Africa etc)

 

Yes the Road to Royal Portrush begins here as the top 3 finishers in the Top 10 that aren't already qualified get into the British Open.

 

I think Cameron Smith, Viktor Hovland and Matt Kuchar are the only ones in the field currently qualified.

 

 

As mentioned in the Geoff Ogilvy article, the Victoria Open is part of the European Tour schedule and will have a larger purse than the Australian Open starting next year. The Australian PGA in two weeks and the Perth Super 6s are also part of that tour.

[Snowm4n]

Vijay Singh was talking about this when the Fiji International was on. I agree with him. Pretty pathetic that the money pool hasn't increased.

https://www.sbs.com....f-s-prize-money

 

Also with it being a qualifying event for the Open Championship, I think it should be given a little more exposure.

It would be helpful if it could be co sanctioned with the PGA Tour or Eu Tour. That is something that the European Tour seems to be doing really well in taking on events around the globe (Malaysia/South Africa etc)

 

Yes the Road to Royal Portrush begins here as the top 3 finishers in the Top 10 that aren't already qualified get into the British Open.

 

I think Cameron Smith, Viktor Hovland and Matt Kuchar are the only ones in the field currently qualified.

 

 

As mentioned in the Geoff Ogilvy article, the Victoria Open is part of the European Tour schedule and will have a larger purse than the Australian Open starting next year. The Australian PGA in two weeks and the Perth Super 6s are also part of that tour.

Keegan Bradley and Takumi Kanaya (Am) are also exempt.

[grm24]

The purse is $1.2m and considering Kuch made $1.3 on his own last week it just seems insane!

To make matters worse the AO is only around $900,000 US after currency conversion. It deserves a much higher purse.

[pjm]

The weather in Sydney has turned rather bleak, with wind and drizzling rain, so the morning groups will have a strong advantage over the afternoon groups. Byeong Hun An from South Korea is in the clubhouse at -5 at 1pm Sydney time. Defending champion Cameron Davis is off to a tough title defence, +7 after 3.

[Malvern]

Its a tough start at The Lakes whatever nine you play first.

 

I'm heading out tomorrow, hope the wind doesn't blow the top off the corporate tent

[fredstar]

The USA 'big name' players are Kuchar, Sneds, Steele and Bradley. Not exactly an exciting, needle moving lot. I will watch some on tv but won't be driving the 10min from my house to see it live.

[Oliver Klozoff]

I love the look of Australian courses. But the field is not what it should be.

 

I'm surprised Kuchar went all the way there considering the US event is 15 minutes down the road from his house. There must have been a reason before he won last week. I think he's already qualified for the British Open so not sure what it would be.

[Golfer4Life]

Kuchar is playing very nicely.

 

Cameron Smith reminds me of the goofy looking Mad Magazine dude, lol...

[Darth Putter]

I love the look of Australian courses. But the field is not what it should be.

 

I'm surprised Kuchar went all the way there considering the US event is 15 minutes down the road from his house. There must have been a reason before he won last week. I think he's already qualified for the British Open so not sure what it would be.

 

 

The tournament seems to be getting what it paid for with the foreign players.

 

Kuchar tied for the lead at -7

Bradley and Ancer are in at -6

An is -5

 

The US Amateur champion Hovland is -3 through 36 holes and looking to be the first amateur to win since Aaron Baddeley in 1999.

[grm24]

I love the look of Australian courses. But the field is not what it should be.

 

I'm surprised Kuchar went all the way there considering the US event is 15 minutes down the road from his house. There must have been a reason before he won last week. I think he's already qualified for the British Open so not sure what it would be.

 

 

The tournament seems to be getting what it paid for with the foreign players.

 

Kuchar tied for the lead at -7

Bradley and Ancer are in at -6

An is -5

 

The US Amateur champion Hovland is -3 through 36 holes and looking to be the first amateur to win since Aaron Baddeley in 1999.

How about the amateur from Australia tied for the lead with Kuchar. Multiple amateurs playing well in this event.

[Darth Putter]

I love the look of Australian courses. But the field is not what it should be.

 

I'm surprised Kuchar went all the way there considering the US event is 15 minutes down the road from his house. There must have been a reason before he won last week. I think he's already qualified for the British Open so not sure what it would be.

 

 

The tournament seems to be getting what it paid for with the foreign players.

 

Kuchar tied for the lead at -7

Bradley and Ancer are in at -6

An is -5

 

The US Amateur champion Hovland is -3 through 36 holes and looking to be the first amateur to win since Aaron Baddeley in 1999.

How about the amateur from Australia tied for the lead with Kuchar. Multiple amateurs playing well in this event.

 

The scoreboard I'm using to flip quickly from tournament to tournament doesn't list amateurs. My bad.

[the bishop]

I loved the quote from An about his ace (paraphrasing) "I didn't even know how far it was. My caddie just said hit the 7 and take 5 metres off."

[MattyO1984]

Reading that Geoff Ogilvy has called the Aus Open a second rate event...to be fair, I think calling it second rate is even a stretch this year. Worst field I can remember in a long time for it and a terrible position in the calendar up against other tours.

[Holy Moses]

Sad how the Australian Tour has diminished so much from a global perspective

 

Great courses, great fans, but too small a sponsor pool to create a strong/independent tour that would attract enough great players

The countries (along with NZ) should have

 

A few of us were talking about that today on the range at the RSM... Apparently the prize money is the same now as 20 years ago..... That's not good.

 

The purse is $1.2m and considering Kuch made $1.3 on his own last week it just seems insane!

 

Is Kuchar getting an appearance fee?

[Snowm4n]

Can almost guarantee he is. I know in previous years Spieth and Day got quite a bit. It's a bit sad that appearance money ends up being more than the actual prize money. For a tournament with so much history that some of the greats called called the 5th major, it has fallen a long way in attracting the best in the game.