Sydney eyes Woods, takes Open until 2015
Peter Stone Sydney
July 29, 2008
SYDNEY, so long the poor cousin to Melbourne in the staging of major golf, has trumped its old adversary with the announcement yesterday that the Australian Open will be played in the Harbour City through to 2015.
That is, with the exception of 2011 when the tournament is scheduled to be played at Moonah Links on The Open course, which was specifically designed by five-times British Open champion Peter Thomson to host the open every other year. It is understood that Golf Australia is in negotiations with the Handbury group, owner of Moonah Links, to relinquish the 2011 championship so that it, too, can be played in Sydney. The reasoning is that Melbourne, which is the permanent home of the Australian Masters, is also hosting The Presidents Cup in 2011 and that holding three major golfing events within the space of a few weeks in the same city would be unviable.
Thomson said yesterday he was disappointed with GA's choice, despite describing NSW as "one of the great courses" in the country. "My view is that I'd prefer to see the open rotated between Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide," he said.
Golf Australia's tournament boss Trever Herden said that while several of the world's leading players would be approached to play this year, Tiger Woods remained a possibility in the future despite a $4 million appearance fee.
"Tiger cannot play this year because of his injury but I'm sure he'd love to return to Australia and play the Open," Herden said. "Every tournament in the world would love to have him in the field and we will consider him when he is fit again.
"We now have substantial backing and we are seeing the Open as an investment so it's not out of the question we would invite him to play.
"We will now be chasing players like Phil Mickelson (No. 2), Ernie Els (5), Sergio Garcia (7) and Vijay Singh (15)."
This year's open will be played at Royal Sydney from December 11-14 and Herden said negotiations had begun with former US Masters champion Mike Weir, twice US Open champion Retief Goosen, Camilo Villegas and Rocco Mediate to play at Royal Sydney.
World No. 4 Adam Scott and No. 6 Geoff Ogilvy are committed to the open and the only top Australian players missing will be Aaron Baddeley, whose wife Richelle is expecting their first child in November, and Greg Norman, who will be hosting his Shark Shootout in the US.
Prizemoney is again expected to be $1.65 million.
GA also announced yesterday that the 2009 championship would be played at the spectacular NSW Golf Club on the coastline at La Perouse in Sydney's southern suburbs, for the first time.
GA has struck a deal believed to be worth $15 million with the NSW Government and its Events NSW corporation for Sydney to become home to the open.
The Royal Sydney, The Australian, NSW and The Lakes courses would probably rotate hosting duties.
Yesterday's announcement was made jointly by NSW Premier Morris Iemma and GA chairman and interim chief executive Anne Lenagan at the NSW club.
"This is another big win for NSW, another big event," said Iemma in a pointed dig at Victoria.
"This tournament has a long history, a proud tradition and is synonymous with Sydney, combining tradition, heritage, history and an honour roll of golf's greatest champions."