Australian great Karrie Webb and world No.1 Kipp Popert join Vic Open field

One of Australia’s finest ever golfers will be back at 13th Beach for the Vic Open next month and she will be joined by a world No.1, who will break ground of his own.

The great Karrie Webb is headed to the Vic Open at 13th Beach. Picture: Douglas P. DeFelice, Getty

Champion Australian golfer Karrie Webb has been locked in for a return to 13th Beach for next month’s Vic Open.

The nation’s greatest female golfer, Webb will take on the Vic Open for the first time since 2020 and will be joined by world No.1 Kipp Popert.

Karrie Webb lines one up at the 2019 Vic Open. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Fresh off a win at the Australian All Abilities Championship in December, Popert ended last year at the top of the world rankings for golfers with a disability and will join the male field to take on some of the best golfers on the Australian tour.

Webb has few peers in Australian golf, having won seven majors and 41 LGPA tournaments in a glittering career.

She first stepped out for the Vic Open in 2016.

“Karrie's record is without peer in Australian golf and I have no doubt that golf fans on the Bellarine Peninsula and throughout Greater Melbourne will flock to 13th beach to watch one of our greats in the relaxed environment that the Vic Open has become famous for,’ Golf Australia general manager of events and operations Therese Magdulski said.

Kipp Popert (right) with his all abilities win in December. Picture by Michael Klein

The Vic Open will again put male and female players on the fairways at the same time as they share the beach and creek courses at 13th Beach.

The Barwon Heads course will also hold Vic Inclusive Open and the Australian Wheelchair championships over the Vic Open weekend.

Englishman Kipp Popert, who was born with a form of cerebral palsy, has continued to plot a path in the golf scene and stormed home to claim the all abilities title at Victoria Golf Club last month.

“By entering into the men’s field of the Vic Open, Kipp is further highlighting that there are no limits to what golfers with a disability can achieve in the game,” Magdulski said.

“We can’t wait to see what he does at 13th Beach.”

The Vic Open runs from February 9-12.

Originally published as Australian great Karrie Webb and world No.1 Kipp Popert join Vic Open field