After three years, the ISPS Handa Australian Open will no longer be a mixed event following a backlash against the format at the 2024 event.
Per Australian Golf Digest, from now on, the men’s and women’s Australian Opens will be separate events after they had been played together across two courses since 2022.
Before last year’s edition of the historic event even began, there were misgivings about the format, with Major winner Ian Baker-Finch saying the it had been “diminished” due to combining the men’s and women’s tournaments.
Baker-Finch, who is the Chairman of the PGA of Australia, had concerns that the event, which was held in November, came too close to the end of the LPGA Tour season
He told the Talk Birdie To Me podcast: “I think both events are diminished a little bit by holding them together, that’s just my personal opinion because I’d love to see all of the best players in the world on the women’s circuit come and play when they can in their schedule around February, March and hold the Australian Women’s Open with the best field in the world.”
It wasn’t just Baker-Finch who had criticisms, with Cameron Smith describing the course conditions – which needed to be softer than usual to accommodate both events – as “disappointing.”
Smith doubled down on his concerns in January, telling Fox Sports: "I don't like the way it's going. I think the biggest issue is the format and how it's structured. I know we had some bad weather and that's what they were leaning on, but it's not how the Aussie Open should be, particularly in Melbourne.”
Elsewhere, LPGA Tour star Hannah Green described the pin placements as "generous" to accommodate the format.
Golf Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland, who had previously said the format had made a "resoundingly positive impact,” released a statement to Australian Golf Digest following the decision to revert to separate men's and women's tournaments from now on.
It read: “Following our annual event review, which included discussions with key stakeholders, Golf Australia has made the decision to separate the Australian Open men’s and women’s tournaments. We are proud of what has been achieved over the past three years with mixed-gender Australian Opens, together with the All-Abilities Championship. With record crowds and broadcast audiences there is a lot to be pleased about.”
It added: “We believe this is the right time and we are confident that both national open championships will stand on their own two feet and prosper in their own right.”
