Australian Open will be played across two courses in Sydney in December

A rule that cost Cameron Smith a spot in the final round of the Australian Open last year has been scrapped.

Australian Open officials have ditched the controversial double cut used for the first time last year. Picture: Michael Klein

Australian Open officials have ditched the controversial double cut used for the first time last year, but will stick to playing the men’s and women’s events on the same courses at the same time claiming last year’s event was a “resounding success”.

This December the tournament, which will offer a minimum $3.4m prizemoney, will be played in Sydney, with The Australian and The Lakes golf clubs set to host from Thursday, November 30.

PGA Tour winner Lucas Herbert was the first leading Australian male to commit to the event, with rising star Steph Kyriacou to be among the 84 players in the women’s field.

Golf Australia boss James Sutherland said while there was no commitment to staging the men’s and women’s opens together “forever” the feedback from last year was that it has been a success on most levels

As they did last year, LIV players including Cameron Smith and others are welcome to join the field with Sutherland “all ears” to any conversations hoping more of their big names may want to head to Sydney.

“We just want to put on a great golf tournament and we want the best players in the world playing here,” Sutherland said.

“If they want to play, I‘m all ears. I want to have those conversations. We’ll be in constant dialogue with players.”

Sutherland said he’d hope to have more confirmation on player availability at the end of this year’s British Open in July.

Golf Australia officials made a commitment to go again with the world-first format for a national open, which had both the men’s and women’s fields playing on the same course at the same time, but with some tweaks.

Cameron Smith at last year’s Australian Open. Picture: Michael Klein

Both fields played across the two courses through the opening two rounds at Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs in Melbourne.

The field was then cut in half, with both fields playing the final two rounds only at Victoria, with a second Saturday before the men’s, women’s and all-abilities final rounds all played at the same time.

After an “extensive review” of last year’s event and consultation with players, the tournament will revert to the traditional single cut on Friday,with the top 60 professionals plus ties playing the weekend in the men’s fields and 32 professionals plus ties in the women’s Open

Players will also only tee off from the first tee on the Sunday, and not the 10th, while the all-abilities championship will run from Thursday to Saturday.

Last year, British Open champ Smith, the tournament’s biggest drawcard, narrowly survived the first cut but missed the second cut on Saturday and didn’t play in the final round as Poland’s Adrian Meronk stormed over Adam Scott to win.

Lucas Herbert expects the Open to run more smoothly. Picture: Warren Little / Getty Images North America

Herbert, who wasn’t happy with how long third rounds took last year with so many players on the course, said the changes should make the Open run “more smoothly” this year.

“I think it’s going to showcase our golfing talent a lot more than it did,” he said.

“Maybe something closer to what a national open should be.”

The men’s event will be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, ensuring full-time playing status in Europe for the winner.

It will be played the week after the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland.

Originally published as Australian Open will be played across two courses in Sydney in December