Australian Open officials have ditched the controversial double-cut used for the first time last year, but will stick to playing the men’s and women’s events on the same courses at the same time.
This December the tournament, which will offer a minimum $3.4m prizemoney, will be played in Sydney, with The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs set to host from Thursday, November 30.
PGA Tour winner Lucas Herbert was the first leading Australian male to commit to the event, with rising star Steph Kyriacou to be among the 84 players in the women’s field.
It will be the first time in 16 years the women’s Australian Open will be played in Sydney.
Golf Australia officials made a commitment to go again with the world-first format for a national open, which had both the men’s and women’s fields playing on the same course at the same time.
Both fields played across the two courses through the opening two rounds at Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs in Melbourne.
The field was then cut in half, with both fields playing the final two rounds only at Victoria.
But after objections from several players following last year’s event, the second-cut, made on Saturday to limit the amount of players on course on Sunday, has been scrapped.
The men’s field will be reduced from 156 to the top 60 professionals plus ties, and a pro-rata top 32 professionals plus ties in the women’s Open.
Last year, British Open champ Cameron Smith, the tournament’s biggest drawcard, narrowly survived the first cut, but missed the second cut on Saturday and didn’t play in the final round, as Poland’s Adrian Meronk stormed over Adam Scott to win.
The men’s event will be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, ensuring full-time playing status in Europe for the winner.
It will be played the week after the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland.