Why Norman’s top rebel golfers are desperate to play Australian Open

The civil war that has engulfed men’s golf has helped boost the Australian Open field, with two of LIV Golf’s top stars surprise inclusions for the national championship in Sydney.

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, a former world No.15, and Mito Pereira, who held the lead on his 72nd hole during last year’s PGA Championship, have added to the star power for this month’s tournament as they desperately seek rankings points to qualify for The Masters.

The Chilean duo will join Australia’s LIV Golf star Cameron Smith, former Masters winner Adam Scott and young guns Min Woo Lee, Cameron Davis and Lucas Herbert in the Australian Open field. Defending champion Adrian Meronk has also committed to the tournament.

The news of Niemann and Pereira’s rare visit to Australia came on the same day Scotland’s Ryder Cup hero Robert MacIntyre was announced as a drawcard for the Australian PGA and Australian Open.

Niemann (70) and Pereira (86) have tumbled down the world rankings due to the Official World Golf Rankings’ refusal to grant LIV official status for its 54-hole, no-cut tournaments.

And with Greg Norman’s LIV Golf in hibernation until its new season next year - pending the outcome of the framework agreement between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls the breakaway league - Niemann and Pereira have taken the opportunity to head to Sydney.

The world’s top 50 golfers at the end of the year will earn automatic invites to The Masters, meaning Niemann and Pereira face an uphill battle to be at Augusta National in April.

LIV Golf stars Joaquin Niemann and Mito Pereira will play the Australian Open in Sydney.Credit: Getty

The tournament will be played at The Australian and The Lakes alongside the women’s event, to be propped up by major winners Minjee Lee and Hannah Green.

MacIntyre (54), who went undefeated in his maiden Ryder Cup campaign as Europe trounced the United States in Rome, is also on the cusp of the world’s top 50 and is desperate to punch his ticket to Augusta.

He went toe to toe with Rory McIlroy in the final round of the Scottish Open before succumbing by a stroke despite a closing 64.

“I’ve always loved Australia and have family there, so I’m really looking forward to the fortnight playing in Brisbane and Sydney,” he said.

“The Australian PGA and Australian Open are two tournaments with great history and I’d love to be up there in both. There’s been some great examples in the past of players winning in Australia and then going on to big things in the following year.”

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