ISPS Handa Australian Open 2022: Preview and form stats

Andy Swales
28 November 2022
3.0 min read

This week's Australian Open is being contested over two courses - Victoria and Kingston Heath.

DP World Tour history is being made at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne this week

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For the first time in its history, the DP World Tour co-sanctions Australia's national open. Words and form stats compiled by Andy Swales ...

World No 3 Smith seeks first Aussie Open title
Event to be staged over two Melbourne venues
Davis goes again after T7 in Brisbane

The Australian Open has long been the jewel in the crown of Australasian golf.

In many ways, it may even be the most prestigious professional men's golf tournament in the Southern Hemisphere.

It certainly used to be, with players such as Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson all winning the title in decades gone by.

Nicklaus won the Australian Open six times, but even he was out-performed by seven-time champion Player.

In more recent times, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy have held aloft this famous trophy.

The event was first staged in 1904 and this year's instalment will be the 105th.

Open Milestones

And, when the players arrive in Melbourne for the 2022 tournament, it will be a landmark occasion in more ways than one.

Firstly, despite the Open's long and illustrious history, this will be the first time that the tournament has been co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and DP World Tour.

To date, the DP World Tour has co-sanctioned more than 40 Australian-based events, but never the country's national open.

Secondly, there will be two courses in use, as the men's and women's Australian Opens are contested concurrently over the same venues.

Because of Australia's strict Covid laws, the Open was not held in either 2020 or 2021.

Course Characteristics

The two courses sharing the honours in 2022 are the famous Victoria and Kingston Heath layouts, both of which are located within Melbourne's acclaimed sand-belt region.

Situated in the city's south-east suburbs, the two venues are separated by a little over three miles.

Kingston Heath has staged the Australian Open seven times, most recently in 2000, while Victoria has been the venue on three occasions, the last time 18 years ago.

During days one and two, the golfers will play 18 holes at each venue, with those who make the cut playing the final 36 holes at Victoria.

Kingston Heath staged the 2016 World Cup of Golf - won by Denmark (Søren Kjeldsen and Thorbjørn Olesen) - while the most recent Australasian Tour event played here was the Talisker Masters of 2012, when Adam Scott emerged triumphant.

As for Victoria, the last time the Australasian Tour visited this 93-year-old club was in December 2011, when Ian Poulter won the JBWere Masters.

Changes Made

In readiness for the Australian Open, both venues have undergone renovations.

The well-bunkered Victoria has changed considerably during the last 15 years and, in 2018, its greens were laid with a new strain of Bent grass.

Kingston Heath, which was designed in 1925, was scheduled to host the national open two years ago, only for Covid to extinguish this dream.

According to Mike Clayton, a former Tour pro and golf course architect, "despite Kingston Heath and Victoria stretching their men's tees back as far as possible, they are both relatively short courses for the men because modern equipment has completely changed how they play."

Latest betting for this week's ISPS Handa Australian Open

Four To Watch

Cameron Davis: The 27-year-old from Sydney has certainly made a name for himself on the PGA Tour where he secured his maiden title in July 2021. Currently the world No 67, Davis tied-seventh in Brisbane on Sunday.

Min Woo Lee: His hot streak continued at the Australian PGA Championship last week when he tied-fourth at Royal Queensland. This makes it five straight top-12 finishes on the DP World Tour.

John Parry: The 36-year-old from Yorkshire maybe a decent each-way shout this week, as he attempts to fight his way back onto the DP World Tour. Has spent much of 2022 on the Challenge Tour and, in last week's tournament at Royal Queensland, closed with a 65 to finish in a tie-for-fourth. His only previous 'European Tour' title came 12 years ago.

Cameron Smith: Despite Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler currently occupying the top two spots in the World Ranking, the No 3 Smith could actually make a claim for being the leading golfer of 2022. In addition to winning The Open at St Andrews, the 29-year-old Aussie also won the Players Championship in March, along with other victories in Hawaii and Australia. And by switching allegiance to the Saudi tour during mid-season, he has potentially missed out on claiming other valuable ranking points in recent months. He will attempt to secure his first Australian Open title this week in Melbourne.

Note: List Contains Leading Reserves

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Last 10 Weeks

Position

1–5
6–15
16–25

Player	W48	W47	W46	W45	W44	W43	W42	W41	W40	W39
Cameron Smith	1
Ryan Fox	MC	19	2			4	MC		1	MC
Adam Scott	28					6
Lucas Herbert	Wd		25				59	20
Adrian Meronk	34	7	36		MC		45		22	11
Min Woo Lee	4	12	8				3	3
Cameron Davis	7					13	29	37
Marc Leishman	12
Matt Jones
Rasmus Hojgaard	MC	7	8			30	5		17	2
Nicolai Hojgaard	57		55		MC	16	37		MC	60
Takumi Kanaya	7					5	53		MC	MC
Ryo Hisatsune	2			12		MC	12	13	13	4
Jason Scrivener	2				18	MC	MC	MC
Daniel Hillier	70			23	12		64	11	4	1
Masahiro Kawamura	7				71	52	21			Wd
Harrison Endycott	18	MC		MC	10			69	MC
Jediah Morgan	MC								MC
Cameron Percy		MC			35
Alfredo Garcia-Heredia	28				43	66	MC	6	MC	30
Pierre Pineau	48			45			27	55	MC	50
Todd Sinnott	28		13	14		MC
Dave Horsey	MC				61	MC	66	MC	MC	39
Wade Ormsby	34			61
John Parry	4			2			11	4	59	24
Blake Windred	MC		26					MC	MC	MC
Velten Meyer	MC			9			16	25	59	MC
Harrison Crowe	41					MC
Dimitrios Papadatos	MC
Alejandro Canizares	12					37	MC	20	28	MC
Austin Bautista	MC	MC							MC
Aaron Pike	48								MC
Louis Dobbelaar	MC								MC
David Micheluzzi	6	8	20			7	1		36
Liam Johnston	62						MC	51	MC	41
Luke Brown	MC					2	MC			MC
Jordan Zunic	62					7			MC
Daniel Gale	MC	4							MC
Jarryd Felton	28					28	3
Tom Lewis	34				MC	37		MC	MC	50
Maverick Antcliff	28				34	70	21	62	61	MC
Scott Hend	18	23	13	14	68	11	MC		MC	60
Cameron John	28	28	16			23	9
Josh Geary	53
HaydenHopewell	56					15	23
Oliver Farr	MC				MC	MC		MC		MC
Jake McLeod	18	MC				35	MC
Jack Thompson	48	12	5			23	14
Michael Hendry	60		MC	MC	54			17	17	16
Matthew Griffin	57	MC	44		25			61	29	MC
Richard McEvoy	MC				MC	MC		MC		MC
Braden Becker	MC	6	MC			MC	MC
John Lyras	34	12
Zach Murray	MC	MC	7					MC	MC	MC
Ding Wenyi
Josh Armstrong	MC	35	16			12	43		MC
Derek Ackerman	34
Nathan Barbieri	41	40							MC
Brett Rankin	MC	33	44			35	7
Deyen Lawson	41	43	16			1	19
Dylan Perry			MC		41
Peter Wilson	57	43	20			Wd	13
Yan Wei Liu	18
Jay Mackenzie	MC					MC	35
Christopher Wood	57	MC	16			3	14
Ben Wharton	MC	8	37			21	MC
Andrew Martin	53	40	1			23	3
Pavan Sagoo	MC
Lawry Flynn	MC	43	51			5	19
Matthew Millar	MC		29
Jeung-Hun Wang	48		3	23
Blake Collyer	62	MC	34			MC	29
Elvis Smylie	12	MC
Andrea Pavan	MC				MC	MC	MC	MC	MC
Tim Hart	MC	48	MC			33	12
Aaron Wilkin	53	1	26			7	54
Jake Higginbottom	MC	MC	MC	MC					49	49
Justin Warren	70	2	14
Denzel Ieremia	18	12	7			5	40
James Marchesani	MC	12	41			13	9
Cory Crawford	34	MC	63	MC						MC
Haydn Barron	MC	12	MC			20	19
Michael Wright	MC	8	MC			7	MC
Adam Blyth	MC	MC
Chang Gi Lee	12
Sam Brazel	7	28	61	19					39	MC
Greg Chalmers	7	MC			65
Ryan Chisnall	MC	MC	MC			MC
David Howell	MC				63	73			Wd	MC
Nick Voke	18	12	37
Jordan Mullaney	MC	MC	MC			56	MC
Brett Coletta	MC	MC	2			48	5
Marcus Fraser	69		7
Lucas Higgins	75	28	7			MC	14
Michael Sim	41	35				2	14
Samuel Eaves	18
Jackson Bugdalski	MC	MC	MC			MC	MC
Kade McBride	34	28	46			45	35
Daniel O`Loughlin	MC
Jeffrey Guan						4	9
Douglas Klein	41	12	5			15	27
Scott Strange	41	Wd	29			15	43		13	54
Tom Power Horan	12	Wd	29			15	27
DJ Loypur	MC	23	50			28	MC
Connor McKinney	41						14
Rohan Blizard	76	MC
Kohei Okada	37		41			28			26
Lincoln Tighe	MC	12	2			21	19
Shae Wools Cobb	MC	28	MC			MC	51
Jak Carter	MC	3	MC			MC	23
Charlie Dann	76	MC	MC			MC	MC
Lachlan Barker	MC	4				33	MC
Peter Cooke	73	35				35
Kristoffer Reitan	MC
Simon Hawkes	MC	35	7			28
Stephen Allan	62	8
Blake Proverbs	MC	23	MC			28	35
Callan Barrow	MC
David Bransdon	73	MC	MC			41	41
Terry Pilkadaris
Mark Hutson	MC	MC	20			49	47
Zinyo Garcia	MC	12	MC			MC	MC
Ben A Campbell	MC	48	MC			23	51
Jason Norris	MC	12				MC	MC
Luke Toomey	MC	MC	14
Jack Munro	62	MC	41			MC	58			74
Kit Bittle	MC	MC	34			MC	23
Ben Eccles	MC	MC	MC						MC	67
Max McCardle	MC	MC	53			MC	31
Jamie Arnold	48	MC	20
Devon Bling	MC		26
Scott Arnold	70	33	MC
Harry Bateman	MC	35	MC
Nick Flanagan	18	47
Andrew Campbell	MC	MC	MC			35	MC
John Senden
Robert Allenby
Geoff Ogilvy	18								MC
Darcy Brereton	MC	MC	MC			MC	MC
Matthew Stieger	MC
Darren Beck	MC
Ashley Hall	MC
Kieran Muir	MC
Will Heffernan	MC	MC	MC			MC	MC
Peter Lonard	MC
Peter O`Malley	MC
Peter Fowler	MC
Gunner Wiebe	18
Steven Jeffress	MC	MC	MC