Without a location for the 2025 Australian Open changes could be coming to the dual-gender format

A location for the 2025 Australian Open won’t be confirmed any time soon with a strong player push to lock in a key piece of the 120-year-old event.

South Africa’s Ashleigh Buhai and Chile’s Joaquin Niemann won the 2023 Australian Opens. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP) /

The location and date for the 2025 Australian Open remain unconfirmed with a strong push for the tournament to “live” on the Melbourne sandbelt but questions are lingering over whether it can continue as a dual-gender event.

Only two of the past 17 men’s Australian Opens have been played in Melbourne and making it a dual-gender event in 2022 ended a five-year run for the women’s tournament in Adelaide when, aided by co-sanctioning with the LPGA tour, the world’s best players competed.

But there are no current deals in place with any state governments to host the Australian Open, first held in 1904, next year or into the future leaving the window open for changes and to heed player wishes to remain in Melbourne.

It’s also understood that officials, while conscious of the economic benefits of playing both the men’s and women’s events at the same time on the same course, are not locked into the format forever.

: Cam Smith played in the Australian Open pro-am with former Prime Minister Scott Morrison. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

The December window remains the best option for the male players, but splitting the events and returning the women to their preferred February date could open the door for a blockbuster fortnight in South Australia linking up with the LIV Golf event in Adelaide.

Cam Smith, who did lament the soft condition of Kingston Heath this week after rain lashed the course, was adamant Victoria was the “home of Australian golf” and had enough courses worthy of sharing the Open.

“This is the home of Australian golf, these are our best courses for sure and it would be really cool to have a rota of five or six,” the former world No.2 said.

“This (Kingston Heath) is an amazing golf course but there’s another handful that are also worthy of holding an Australian Open and being really tough tests. It would be really good to see for sure.”

Major champion Hannah Green was weary after a late entry to Melbourne. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Major champions Hannah Green and Minjee Lee, who had to jet from the LPGA season-ending event in Florida last weekend and only arrived in Melbourne at 10am on Wednesday, both said a return to February was their preferred option for the women’s event, given its prestige and their thirst to win it.

“I definitely think the beginning of the year is better. I think a lot of LPGA players, the Aussie players, it works better in our schedule,” Lee, a two-time major win said.

“It’s nice to come in fresh rather than at the end of the year, thinking about one more event.”

Green went further and said other LPGA stars had asked her about the potential for shift, showing their eagerness to return.

“I think it’s really ideal for all of us Australians to be able to start our season in February,” she said.

“I think that if you want the best players in the world to come down, that’s where it needs to be. I’ve spoken to numerous players on the LPGA, and they do ask if the time could change.

“But obviously that’s not a call I can make.”

Originally published as Without a location for the 2025 Australian Open changes could be coming to the dual-gender format