Going Bahamas for Vic Open

TWO OF Australia’s brightest young golfing stars, Su Oh and Hannah Green, will depart the Bahamas on an express flight to arrive in time for the 2018 Oates Vic Open.

The young guns will join fellow LPGA Tour stars Cheyenne Woods and Pernilla Lindberg for a stacked 2018 women’s field at 13th Beach Golf Links from today (Thursday).

“I’m flying out Sunday night through Miami to Dallas, then flying to Australia on Monday night to arrive on Wednesday morning before I head down to Barwon Heads,” Ms Oh said.

“Hopefully we finish in the Bahamas on Sunday, but there’s so many weather delays!”

Victorian Oh will compete for the seventh time at the Oates Vic Open with an impressive record including five top-six finishes and a runner-up performance in 2015.

“The good thing is I know the course really well. I’m really familiar with the place, I know a lot of the people there and I’ve played a lot of golf at 13th Beach,” she said.

Meanwhile, Green is set to make her fifth appearance at 13th Beach after the 21-year-old produced a stellar year in the US.

Green made a name for herself on the Symetra Tour – the LPGA’s secondary circuit – in 2017, racking up three wins on her way to a second-placed finish on the money list.

The West Australian’s biggest reward was a promotion to the LPGA Tour in 2018, where she’ll join established stars Oh and Minjee Lee for her rookie season.

The women’s field in 2018 looking stronger than ever thanks to the co-sanctioning agreement with the Ladies European Tour.

MEANWHILE, an interesting subplot to the open will be the sibling rivalry between brother and sister Min Woo and Minjee Lee playing in the men’s and women’s draws respectively.

Australia’s number-one ranked female golfer, Minjee won the 2014 Vic Open as an amateur at the age of 17. Now, as world number 19, she will likely be the highest-ranked professional in either the men’s or women’s fields.

For more information on the tournament, head to vicopengolf.com.