[Photo: Golf NSW]
Lucas Herbert will kick off his Australian summer of golf calendar by attempting to defend his title at the Ford NSW Open at The Vintage Golf Club, marking one of the feature stops of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
OTHER NEWS: PGA Tour announces new event for 2026 schedule
Herbert, the three-time DP World Tour winner and one-time PGA Tour champion who now plays on LIV Golf, defeated his Ripper GC team captain in Cam Smith to claim last year’s NSW Open on the Murray River – at Murray Downs Golf and Country Club.
This week in the NSW Hunter Valley, Herbert headlines a strong field chasing one of the Australasian tour’s biggest purses of $800,000. Herbert will take on the demanding Greg Norman–designed layout and a deep mix of emerging talent eager to boost their Order of Merit standings, including soon-to-be DP World Tour pro Anthony Quayle.
“It’s very cool; when you win a tournament, you feel like you gotta go back and defend,” Herbert told the Tee It Up podcast this week. “Obviously, would love to get my name on the [Kel Nagle] trophy twice in a row.
“I think part of the whole decision going to LIV was being able to get back and play more golf in Australia and definitely trying to build some bonds between … the next generation coming through and seeing where their games are at and if we can help at all.”
RELATED: History for Rory, PGA Tour cards, $15 million purse: What’s at stake at DP World Tour finale
Former amateur star Declan O’Donovan debuts as a professional golfer at The Vintage only weeks after contesting the Asia-Pacific Amateur in Dubai.
Victorian Matias Sanchez arrives in form after securing his maiden victory at the Webex Players Series South Australia earlier this month while Order of Merit leader, Sydney’s Nathan Barbieri, will look to convert consistency into a breakthrough win.
The field also features several players who earned their starts through strong qualifying performances. Eighteen secured entry via the Ford NSW Open Regional Qualifiers, and Royal Sydney PGA Associate Gavin McPherson created history as the first player to qualify through the new NSW Virtual Open – a competition staged entirely at simulator venues across the state.
The Vintage last hosted the Ford NSW Open between in 2010. Live coverage of Rounds 3 and 4 will air from 1pm to 6pm (AEDT) on Saturday and Sunday via Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.
