Vic Open retains importance despite prizemoney reduction
Jiyai Shin – runner-up last year and current Australian Women’s Open Champion – image Golf Australia
This week’s Vic Open might have lost some of the gloss it has enjoyed in recent years, but it is still very much an important event on the Australasian schedule for both men and women. The tournament is played jointly over the two layouts at 13th Beach Golf Club on the Bellarine Peninsula with separate purses for both men and women.
At one stage an event on the DP World Tour, the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour schedules where winners included the likes of Minwoo and Minjee Lee, Mel Reid and Celine Boutier, the event now carries prizemoney of just $A200,000 for both fields but it remains a key event, especially for many young Australasian professionals trying to establish their careers.
The standout in the women’s field is the current Australian Women’s Open Champion Jiyai Shin, one of the female game’s most prolific winner of titles during her time on the LPGA, Korean and Japanese tours and her already profilic success in Australia is likely to be even bettered this week.
Former LPGA Tour player Su Oh is also expected to do well as is the defending champion Ashley Lau of Malaysia, who defeated Shin in a playoff last year and NSW golfer Kelsey Bennett.
The men’s event is headed by many of the recent winners on the Australasian Tour including but also leading available players on the current Order of Merit, Jack Buchanan, Anthony Quayle, Corey Lamb, Anthony Quayle and Jak Carter.
The event is played over the Beach and Creek Courses at 13th Beach on the opening two days but reverts to the Beach Course for the final 36 holes.
