The Australian Open: Over a century of excellence in golf Down Under

Golf is one of the most played sports across the world, and there are few more scenic locations to hone the craft than Australia. With picturesque courses located around the country, it is little surprise that it is the most participated sport Down Under. Golf fans are passionate about everything about the sport Down Under, which includes betting on the most popular events on the calendar. Therefore, bettors are often looking to place a bet on pro golf tournaments, with the most popular being the four majors that are staged annually. While Australia doesn’t play host to a major of its own, one of the most popular events on the calendar remains the Australian Open.

The significance of The Australian Open

The Australian Open plays a huge role in the season for golfers on the PGA Tour of Australasia. As such, it is considered to be the most prestigious event on the circuit and was held for the first time in 1904, making it one of the longest-running events in the nation. However, the event has taken on greater significance recently following the introduction of the Open Qualifying Series. Nowadays, the player that wins the Australian Open is handed a spot in the final major of the season.

Meanwhile, it also allows three non-exempt players to secure their spot in the most prestigious major of the season. The Australian Open has always had a huge reputation among the players on the PGA Tour, with Jack Nicklaus once calling it the ‘fifth major’ of the season. However, it doesn’t attract the biggest stars to compete, as it offers a considerably smaller purse than most events on the PGA Tour.

Early history of The Australian Open

The early history of the Australian Open was formed in 1898 following the formation of the Australian Golf Union. The Union organised a championship meeting annually from 1899, and over the first three years, the Australian Amateur Championship was contested over 72 holes. However, the first significant changes occurred in 1903, as the format was revised before the 1904 event was staged at The Australian Gold Club.

The first stroke-play event was won by English amateur Michael Scott, with two further amateurs finishing second and third. Therefore, the highest-placed professional player in the field was Carnegie Clark, who finished fourth overall. For many years, the location of the Australian Open has changed, and that was first evident in 1905, as Royal Melbourne hosted the event for the first time.

Modern history of The Australian Open

The money on offer on the PGA Tour in recent history, combined with the fact that the world’s best on the PGA Tour are typically in their off-season, has meant that few of the top-ranked players in the world have competed at the Australian Open. The long-term future of the event was also in doubt following the 2019 edition, with the tournaments in 2020 and 2021 both canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 However, the event finally made its return in 2022, and it was revealed that men and women would compete on the same course at the same time. The prize fund for the return of the event was set at $3.4 million, and it would be split evenly across the men’s and women’s competitions. During this period, it was also confirmed that the European Tour would sanction the event for the first time.

The Australian Open locations

A total of 17 courses across the nation have played host to the Australian Open. The Australian Golf Club has been the location that has been more regularly used, as it has held the event on 21 occasions. It was first staged at the location in Sydney in 1904, with the most recent competition coming in 2019. The only two courses to have staged ten or more editions of the event are the Royal Melbourne Golf Club and Royal Sydney Golf Club. Last year, the Australian Open was staged at Victoria Golf Club for the fourth time, as Adrian Meronk landed victory by five strokes from Aussie star Adam Scott.

Legendary players at The Australian Open

The Australian Open has seen some of the world’s best stars involved throughout its history, which includes Gary Player, who landed seven wins between 1958 and 1970. Meanwhile, Jack Nicklaus landed victory in the event on six occasions between 1964 and 1978. The long-term future of the Australian Open is now secure, with the event set to take place later this year. It will be an exciting edition of the event, and Aussies will be hopeful of seeing some of the best players in the world in action.