Australian Open

The Australian Open is one of the principal annual golf tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia. The event was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year. It is run by Golf Australia and is one of the "national opens" which have a special status in the Official World Golf Rankings's points system, with a minimum level of points guaranteed for the winner regardless of the strength of the field.

The winner of the tournament receives the Stonehaven Cup. Although the prize money is now fairly modest compared to many other golf tournaments, especially on the PGA Tour and the European Tour, the Australian Open's position as the national open of one of the traditional golf powers means that its roll of honour for the years from the mid 1950s to the late 1980s includes many of the most distinguished international golfers of that era, including several Americans. However, in recent years fewer leading international players have entered and the winners list has come to be dominated by Australians again.

The 2007 Australian Open was recently launched at the Sydney Opera House and will be headlined by 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and will feature at least seven other Australians currently ranked in the world's Top 50. Another former Major winner, New Zealander Michael Campbell will also make the trip, as will Americans Brandt Snedeker, Will MacKenzie, Jason Gore and Kevin Stadler.

Organisers also announced that a hole at the 2007 Australian Open would be given showbiz treatment, much like the famed 16th hole at Scottsdale, Arizona. They also said that revolutionary statistic kiosks would be available on-course for fans and that prize money would be increased to A$1.75 million, continuing the Australian Open's reign as Australia's richest golfing event.

The Open will be played at The Australian Golf Club, Sydney from December 13-16.

Winners

• 2006 John Senden - Australia
• 2005 Robert Allenby - Australia
• 2004 Peter Lonard - Australia
• 2003 Peter Lonard - Australia
• 2002 Stephen Allan - Australia
• 2001 Stuart Appleby - Australia
• 2000 Aaron Baddeley - Australia (professional)
• 1999 Aaron Baddeley - Australia (amateur)
• 1998 Greg Chalmers - Australia
• 1997 Lee Westwood - England
• 1996 Greg Norman - Australia
• 1995 Greg Norman - Australia
• 1994 Robert Allenby - Australia
• 1993 Brad Faxon - United States
• 1992 Steve Elkington - Australia
• 1991 Wayne Riley - Australia
• 1990 John Morse - United States
• 1989 Peter Senior - Australia
• 1988 Mark Calcavecchia - United States
• 1987 Greg Norman - Australia
• 1986 Rodger Davis - Australia
• 1985 Greg Norman - Australia
• 1984 Tom Watson - United States
• 1983 Peter Fowler - Australia
• 1982 Bob Shearer - Australia
• 1981 Bill Rogers - United States
• 1980 Greg Norman - Australia
• 1979 Jack Newton - Australia
• 1978 Jack Nicklaus - United States
• 1977 David Graham - Australia
• 1976 Jack Nicklaus - United States
• 1975 Jack Nicklaus - United States
• 1974 Gary Player - South Africa
• 1973 J. C. Snead - United States
• 1972 Peter Thomson - Australia
• 1971 Jack Nicklaus - United States
• 1970 Gary Player - South Africa
• 1969 Gary Player - South Africa
• 1968 Jack Nicklaus - United States
• 1967 Peter Thomson - Australia
• 1966 Arnold Palmer - United States
• 1965 Gary Player - South Africa
• 1964 Jack Nicklaus - United States
• 1963 Gary Player - South Africa
• 1962 Gary Player - South Africa
• 1961 Frank Phillips - Australia
• 1960 Bruce Devlin - Australia (amateur)
• 1959 Kel Nagle - Australia
• 1958 Gary Player - South Africa
• 1957 Frank Phillips - Australia
• 1956 Bruce Crampton - Australia
• 1955 Bobby Locke - South Africa
• 1954 Ossie Pickworth - Australia
• 1953 Norman Von Nida - Australia
• 1952 Norman Von Nida - Australia
• 1951 Peter Thomson - Australia
• 1950 Norman Von Nida - Australia
• 1949 Eric Cremin - Australia
• 1948 Ossie Pickworth - Australia
• 1947 Ossie Pickworth - Australia
• 1946 Ossie Pickworth - Australia
• 1940-45 No tournament due to World War II
• 1939 Jim Ferrier - Australia (amateur)
• 1938 Jim Ferrier - Australia (amateur)
• 1937 George Naismith - Australia
• 1936 Gene Sarazen - United States
• 1935 Fergus McMahon - Australia
• 1934 Billy Bolger - Australia
• 1933 Lou Kelly - Australia
• 1932 Mick Ryan - Australia (amateur)
• 1931 Ivo Whitton - Australia (amateur)
• 1930 Frank Eyre - Australia
• 1929 Ivo Whitton - Australia (amateur)
• 1928 Fred Popplewell - Australia
• 1927 Rufus Stewart - Australia
• 1926 Ivo Whitton - Australia (amateur)
• 1925 Fred Popplewell - Australia
• 1924 A. Russell - Australia (amateur)
• 1923 Tom Howard - Australia
• 1922 Charlie Campbell - Australia
• 1921 Arthur Le Fevre - Australia
• 1920 Joe Kirkwood, Sr. - Australia
• 1914-19 No tournament due to World War I
• 1913 Ivo Whitton - Australia (amateur)
• 1912 Ivo Whitton - Australia (amateur)
• 1911 Carnegie Clark - Australia
• 1910 Carnegie Clark - Australia
• 1909 Claude Felstead - Australia (amateur)
• 1908 Clyde Pearce - Australia (amateur)
• 1907 Michael Scott - Australia (amateur)
• 1906 Carnegie Clark - Australia
• 1905 Dan Soutar - Australia
• 1904 Michael Scott - Australia (amateur)

Multiple winners

As of the 2006 event the following golfers have one the Australian Open more than once.

7 wins

• Gary Player: 1958, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1974

6 wins

• Jack Nicklaus: 1964, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1978

5 wins

• Greg Norman: 1980, 1985, 1987, 1995, 1996
• I.H. Whitton (amateur): 1912, 1913, 1926, 1929, 1931

4 wins

• Ossie Pickworth: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1954

3 wins

• Peter Thomson: 1951, 1967, 1972
• Norman Von Nida: 1950, 1952, 1953
• C Clark: 1906, 1910, 1911

2 wins

• Robert Allenby: 1994, 2005
• Peter Lonard: 2003, 2004
• Aaron Baddeley (first win as amateur): 1999, 2000
• Frank Phillips: 1957, 1961
• J.B. Ferrier: 1935, 1939
• F Popplewell: 1925, 1929
• Hon M. Scott (amateur): 1904, 1907

External links

• Official site
• Australian Open to be given showbiz treatment
• New hole promises to enliven Open

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