[PHOTO: Gary Lisbon]
The Vic Open will be back at its home at 13th Beach Golf Links on the Bellarine Peninsula for an 11th year in 2024 with the tournament dates locked in for February 1-4.
A player and fan favourite, the tournament – which includes titles for women, men and All Abilities golfers – will be part of the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour of Australasia.
The Beach and Creek courses at the superb seaside facility near the town of Barwon Heads will host men and women competing for equal prizemoney on the same courses at the same time, with $420,000 on offer for each event.
The 2024 Vic Open will also coincide with the Victorian Inclusive Championship for golfers with a disability and the Australian Wheelchair Golf Championship will return for its third year.
WPGA Tour of Australasia chief executive Karen Lunn said the Vic Open was a major highlight on the tour’s calendar.
“Our players love coming back to 13th Beach every year and competing in front of the wonderful galleries who turn out to enjoy seeing the women’s and men’s tournaments, plus the All Abilities, contested side by side,” Lunn said.
“We’ve had some fantastic winners of the women’s title since the Vic Open came to 13th Beach, including three major champions in Minjee Lee, twice, Hannah Green in 2022 and then a former world No.1 in Jiyai Shin earlier this year.”
PGA Tour of Australasia tournaments director Nick Dastey said the Vic Open would be a key event on the second half of the 2023-2024 tour calendar.
“The Vic Open has established itself as a major feature of our schedule and 13th Beach has played a huge role in its ongoing success,” Dastey said.
“Our men and women again get the chance to play on two of Australia’s best golf courses. The hospitality we receive each year is first-class and the locals really embrace having us visit them each summer.”
Ben Carroll, Victoria’s Acting Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, said: “The Vic Open remains an important tournament for our golf superstars and it’s fantastic that it will return to the sparkling Bellarine Peninsula next February. We know how much this tournament means to the local community and hosting it at 13th Beach will encourage fans and visitors alike to experience all this beautiful region has to offer.”
Grant Phelps, the chair of 13th Beach Golf Links, added: “The Vic Open has now become a permanent fixture on the Bellarine and 13th Beach. We absolutely love hosting the Vic Open. Our community really gets behind it and so many friendships have been formed because of the event.”
In 2024, 144 men and a minimum of 90 women will start the first round, with the top 35 men and 35 women and ties making it through to the final round.
The Vic Open is part of an exciting summer of golf in Australia that includes the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, the ISPS Handa Australian Open and the New Zealand Open, presented by Sky Sports. The 2023-2024 season resumes with the NT PGA in August.
RECENT VIC OPEN CHAMPIONS
Women
2023: Jiyai Shin (South Korea)
2022: Hannah Green (Australia)
2020: H.Y. Park (South Korea)
2019: Celine Boutier (France)
2018: Minjee Lee (Australia)
Men
2023: Michael Hendry (New Zealand)
2022: Dimi Papadatos (Australia)
2020: Min Woo Lee (Australia)
2019: David Law (Scotland)
2018: Simon Hawkes (Australia)
