By Mark Hayes/Golf Australia governing body
The build-up is well under way for the 101st Emirates Australian Open at the Royal Sydney Golf Club.
Tomorrow is pro-am day at the famous Rose Bay course with the likes of former international cricketers Ian Healy and Brian Lara, AFL players Steve Johnson, Jarrad McVeigh and Josh Kennedy, dual international Wendell Sailor and television personality Kerry-Anne Kennerley taking part in separate events from 7am and 1pm.
Entry is free for spectators
World No. 7 Adam Scott, who heads the field along with American superstar Jordan Spieth, made his first appearance at the course today for a practice round.
Scott won the Open in 2009 at New South Wales and was runner-up last time the event was played at Royal Sydney, in 2013.
The 2010 Open champion Geoff Ogilvy said today the Australian Open rated as ”a major” for the homecoming Australian players who compete overseas through the northern summer.
Spieth, who won the Open in 2014, kickstarting his incredible 2015 season, said he was hell bent on doing the same thing this time around.
Spieth and Ogilvy will play alongside star amateur Curtis Luck from Perth, the 2016 US amateur champion, in Thursday’s opening round, teeing off at 7.10am.
Click here for the full Thursday draw: http://www.ausopengolf.com/tee-times
The Emirates Australian Open has been secured for Sydney by the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, in partnership with Golf Australia.
The Emirates Australian Open is a flagship tournament on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia. The winner will receive a minimum of 32 Official World Golf Ranking points.
The event will be telecast all four days on Channel 7.
Tickets are on sale now from Ticketek atwww.ticketek.com or by calling 132849.
The 2016 Emirates Australian Open will be played at the Royal Sydney Golf Club from Thursday through Sunday.
Website: http://www.ausopengolf.com/
