Australian golf greats Peter Lonard, Peter Senior and Peter O’Malley will be part of a star-studded field for the return of the Australian Senior Open at City Golf Club in Toowoomba.
Back on the schedule for the first time since 2012, the Australian Senior Open will be a highlight of the 2026 PGA Legends Tour season, with some of Australia and New Zealand’s most accomplished over-50 professionals entered for the October 2-4 championship.
Two-time Australian Open champion Peter Lonard is among the biggest names confirmed, with the Sydneysider bringing an outstanding resume to Toowoomba that includes a PGA Tour victory, three Australian PGA titles, two Australian Open titles and two Australian Masters wins.
Senior will be returning to the championship he won in 2010 at Royal Perth Golf Club. A two-time Australian Open, three-time Australian PGA and three-time Australian Masters winner, the Queenslander has enjoyed one of the most decorated careers in Australian golf, winning 67 titles worldwide.
Fellow Australian golf stalwart Peter O’Malley’s highly successful career on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia included winning five times, while he also claimed three European Tour titles, highlighted by his victory at the 1992 Scottish Open where he closed with a round of 62.
Three-time Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winner and reigning Australian PGA Seniors champion Jason Norris, PGA Tour winners Nathan Green and Andre Stolz and current PGA Legends Tour No.1 Brad Burns are expected to be prime contenders in Toowoomba.
The field also includes former Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winner and PGA Tour Champions member David McKenzie, three-time Asian Tour titleholder Terry Pilkadaris, and New Zealand’s Michael Long and Mahal Pearce, ensuring the championship will have a strong trans-Tasman flavour.
The return of the Australian Senior Open comes 14 years after the championship was last played, with Peter Fowler claiming the 2012 title at Royal Perth Golf Club.
The championship has a history dating back to 1986 and has been won by some of the biggest names in Australian golf, including Peter Senior, Wayne Grady, Mike Harwood, Noel Ratcliffe and Fowler.
The 2026 championship will see a field of up to 120 players compete over 54 holes for a $160,000 prize purse, with City Golf Club hosting the event as part of its centenary celebrations.
It adds to the 12 Queensland PGA Championships the club has staged.
PGA of Australia General Manager of Tournaments and Global Tour Relationships Nick Dastey said the calibre of the field reflected the significance of bringing the Australian Senior Open back to the national calendar.
“To have players like Peter Lonard, Peter Senior, Peter O’Malley and Andre Stolz putting their names down is a pretty good way to announce that the Australian Senior Open is back,” Dastey said.
“These guys have won big tournaments at home and overseas, played all over the world and represented Australian golf at the highest level, and they still have that competitive edge.
“That’s what makes senior golf so good. You’re getting players who have spent 20 or 30 years competing against the best in the world, and they still want to test themselves.
“Bringing that group to City Golf Club is going to be fantastic for the players, but also for golf fans in Toowoomba and across the region.”
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Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said senior golf played an important role in the broader Australian game.
“Senior professional golf gives players who have achieved so much in the game the opportunity to continue competing, but just as importantly, it keeps their experience and knowledge within the game and gives the next generation an opportunity to see and learn from them,” Sutherland said.
“The Australian Senior Open is a great example of that. These are players who have competed at the highest levels of the game, and their passion to keep testing themselves is something that should be celebrated.
“To have the championship back on the calendar, with a field of this quality, is a real positive for Australian golf.”
City Golf Club President Ed Britnell said the club was thrilled to be preparing to host some of the biggest names in Australian golf.
“We have a long list of players in this field whose careers have been followed by generations of Australian golf fans, and now people in Toowoomba have the opportunity to see them competing here at City,” he said.
“This is a very special year for our club as we celebrate our centenary, and hosting the Australian Senior Open is going to be a fantastic part of those celebrations.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming the players and giving them a great City Golf Club experience.”
Qualifying the Australian Senior Open will be held on October 2.
Entry to the course is free for spectators.
The Australian Senior Open will be broadcast on Kayo Sports.
