PROFESSIONAL golfer Geoff Ogilvy says the Australian Open needs to follow in the footsteps of the Oates Victorian Open, which is held annually at 13th Beach Golf Links.<\/p>\n
In a feature for Golf Australia magazine lamenting the state of the Australian Open called \u201cTarnished \u2013 How the Stonehaven Cup lost its lustre\u201d, Ogilvy said the Vic Open was a great tournament with a great concept \u2013 combining men and women\u2019s events \u2013 and was played at an interesting venue.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn four or five years, it has gone from being a largely irrelevant state open to a European Tour and Ladies European Tour event,\u201d Ogilvy said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is now maybe the second-biggest event in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of which has been achieved by just running a nice tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoney was tight, so they clearly decided just to be the best tournament they could be.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe result is that many of the best women players now come and play.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe men too \u2013 and there will be more than ever of them next February.<\/p>\n
\u201cProof that a quality tournament \u2013 run well \u2013 doesn\u2019t have to chase the cash.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I said, get it right and the money will eventually come.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ogilvy said over the past few years, the Vic Open had been widely talked about as the best event in the country.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd now they are being rewarded for that.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext year it will offer more prizemoney than the Australian Open, which is ridiculous.<\/p>\n
\u201cWord of mouth is a powerful thing. And shows how possible it is to create a big event by doing all the little things well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ogilvy said sadly, the Australian Open seemed to be heading in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n
The Vic Open will become Australian golf\u2019s richest week in 2019 with the combined prize pool surging to an unprecedented $3 million.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s more than double the $1.3 million on offer in 2018 and means since moving to 13th Beach Golf Links in 2013, the prize pool has increased ten-fold \u2013 from $300,000 to $3 million.<\/p>\n
The Vic Open remains the only golf tournament of its kind in the world, with men and women competing for equal prize money, on the same courses at the same time.<\/p>\n
And in 2019 that won\u2019t change, with $1.5 million up for grabs in Barwon Heads for both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s fields from February 7-10.<\/p>\n
To read the whole story, visit the website at golfaustralia.com.au.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PROFESSIONAL golfer Geoff Ogilvy says the Australian Open needs to follow in the footsteps of the Oates Victorian Open, which is held annually at 13th Beach Golf Links. In a feature for Golf Australia magazine lamenting the state of the Australian Open called \u201cTarnished \u2013 How the Stonehaven Cup lost its lustre\u201d, Ogilvy said the […]<\/p>\n