Change in DP World Tour schedule set to strengthen fields in top two Australian tournaments

The Australian PGA and Australian Open tournaments are set to benefit from changes to the DP World Tour schedule.

Min Woo Lee celebrates his win at last year’s Australian PGA Championship. Picture: Patrick Hamilton / AFP

This year’s Australian PGA and Australian Open fields are set to be strengthened following a change to the DP World Tour schedule for the new season.

Co-sanctioned by Australasian PGA and DP World tours, the Australian PGA and Australian Open tournaments have recently been held in the same week as two events in South Africa – the Joburg and South African Opens.

However, in the DP World Tour’s schedule for the “Opening Swing” of its program for the 2025 season – which starts late this year – the Australian PGA and Australian Open are the only events on their respective dates of November 21-24 (Royal Queensland) and November 28-December 1 (Kingston Heath and Victoria).

It’s likely to mean that more of Europe’s top players – who previously opted to contest the two events in South Africa – will now travel to Australia for start of the new season.

“It’s the best possible outcome for all of the tours,” PGA of Australia tournaments director Australasia Nick Dastey said.

Min Woo Lee plays a shot on his way to victory at last year’s Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland. Picture: Patrick Hamilton / AFP

Dastey said that included South Africa’s Sunshine Tour, which co-sanctions the Joburg and South African Opens – both now set to be played later in the season – with the DP World Tour.

“This change has come after several discussions with officials from all of the tours involved,” he said.

Two different tournaments – the Nedbank Challenge and the Alfred Dunhill Championship – will be played in South Africa following the two Australia events.

The five-event Opening Swing will end with the December 19-22 Mauritius Open.

Helped by his Australian PGA win last November, Min Woo Lee – representing Australia at the Paris Olympic – clinched the current season’s Opening Swing, a prize that brought with it exemptions into Rolex Series events and the second phase of the season.

Lee will return to Royal Queensland to defend his Australian PGA crown, while tour officials are confident that Chilean star Joaquín Niemann – who is also at the Olympics representing his nation – will also return to defend his Australian Open crown.