LIV Golfers Back Decision To Split Australian Open
Cameron Smith has welcomed the decision to hold the men's and women's Australian Opens separately - saying it will help to strengthen both tournaments


Cameron Smith has welcomed the decision to split the men's and women's Austrlian Open tournaments - saying it will help restore the men's event to its former glory.
The men's and women's Australian Opens had been held together at the same courses for the last three years, but the decision has now been taken to split them up again.
Smith was one of the critics against both events being held concurrently, saying that it diminished both events - with course set-up a major problem.
Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland announced the change in structure, saying: "We believe this is the right time and we are confident that both national open championships will stand on their own two feet and prosper in their own right.”
And that decision has been welcomed by former Open champion Smith, who believes that separating the events will help to elevate them both.
Speaking in Adelaide ahead of the LIV Golf League event, Smith says that he feels the men's event will attract a stronger field with it now being a standalone tournament.
“Not only do we want to come down and play and obviously support our event, I think it lends itself to have a stronger field, having more guys come down here and play the Australian Open and let it be the event that it once was," Smith said.
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Smith's Ripper GC teammate and fellow Australian Lucas Herbert shares the same sentiments about his national open again standing by itself.
The last jointly-held Australian Open was staged in November at Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs on Melbourne's sandbelt - where holding both men's and women's events together caused problems with setting up the course.
“We would have loved to have seen an Australian Open venue play a little differently from what it was and I think we were a little handcuffed, as well, from having the women play with us,” Herbert said.
“The ideal course set-up for them and the ideal course set-up for us is a little different.
“I don’t think you should set up the courses the same way because it’s not fair to either gender - it’s a great move that we’re now splitting the Australian Opens.”

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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