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Writer's pictureNate (@WeKnowFantasy)

Out of the Rough: ISPS Handa Australian Open


For the second consecutive week, the DP World Tour stays in Australia, traveling south from Brisbane to Melbourne for this week’s ISPS Handa Australian Open. 


Australia’s own budding star, Elvis Smylie won on home soil a week ago, topping a packed Australian leaderboard. The home favorites will look to do the same this week despite an outsider winning each of the last two and six of the last nine editions of this event.


The ISPS Handa Australian Open is the oldest and most prestigious event on the PGA Tour of Australia’s schedule and will be con-sanctioned this week with the DP World Tour. This will be the third edition of the event being co-sanctioned by the two tours.


It was first played in 1904 and since 1930, the winner has been awarded the prestigious Stonehaven Cup.


Jack Nicklaus himself had previously deemed this event the ‘Fifth Major,’ as he won this event six times.


Many of the game’s greats have lifted the Stonehaven Cup as alongside Nicklaus, the likes of Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Greg Norman have had their names etched on the trophy. 


Additionally, for the third straight year, Australia’s national open will host both the men and the women. Men and women both will play on the same courses on the same days to crown both champions of Australia.


The Field

As previously mentioned, unlike last week’s Australian PGA Championship which has been dominated by the home contingent, the outsiders have a winning record as of late at this week’s ISPS Handa Australian Open. 


Of course, there will be a strong Australian contingent in attendance this week as they look to claim their nation’s open. 


Those names include Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, Cam Davis, David Micheluzzi, among others.


Those looking to play spoiler to the home crowd include the defending champion, Joaquin Niemann.


Other names include Jordan Smith, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Victor Perez, Angel Ayora, John Parry and Yannik Paul.


Former winners of this event teeing it up this week include Niemann (2023,) Davis (2017,) Geoff Ogilvy (2010) and Peter Lonard (2003 & 2004.)


The Course(s)

The first two rounds of this week’s event will be played on separate courses - the Kingston Heath Golf Club and the Victoria Golf Club.


Those who make the cut into the weekend will then play the final two rounds at the Kingston Heath Golf Club.


This is the same format and courses that played host to this event in 2022 that saw Adrian Meronk claim victory. 


Both courses are described as classic Melbourne sandbelt courses and sit approximately three miles apart.


Sandbelt tracks have a distinct and unique appearance but play closely to a links style course.


Kingston Heath Golf Club

Kingston Heath plays as a Par-72 at 7,259 yards and it is built on the sandbelt on the outskirts of Melbourne.


The track, which was opened in 1925, is not an easy one by any measures as it’s best described as a ‘brute’ of a venue.


There are a multitude of bunkers, penal rough and trees that must be avoided. Missing the fairway is not an option at this course. 


This venue will also be the most of the 2026 World Cup of Golf and the 2028 Presidents Cup as well.


Victoria Golf Club

This venue plays roughly 350 yards shorter than the aforementioned Kingston Heath and as a Par-70.


This course is heavily bunkered.


Prior to its last hosting of this event in 2022, the course underwent an extensive renovation. It has changed drastically in the 15 years prior to its last playing.


The biggest change was that the greens were laid in bentgrass.


Even though both venues are stretched as far back as possible for the men’s tees, they are both short courses.


However, both venues are tough, featuring a multitude of bunkers with firm and fast fairways. 


Kingston Heath will play tougher than Victoria.


The Weather

As of the time of writing this, there is a slight chance for precipitation come the weekend this week. Saturday is currently calling for a 50-percent chance of precipitation and Sunday a 25-percent chance. Thursday and Friday currently post a zero-percent chance of precipitation. A welcome sight as last week’s event saw a round cut, making it a 54-hole event. Temperatures will begin at 73-degree on Thursday before peaking at 77-degrees on Friday. From there, they will fall to a low of 66-degrees on Saturday before bouncing back to 70-degrees on Sunday. Winds will begin at ten miles-per-hour on Thursday before falling to the high single digits across Friday and Saturday and peaking at 12 miles-per-hour on Sunday. 


Key Stats

  • Scrambling

  • Putting Average

  • SG: ATG

  • Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (SG: OTT) / Driving Accuracy

  • Sand Saves

  • Par 4 Scoring Average

  • SG: APP


Betting Card

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (+2200)

I’ve been heavy on Neergaard-Petersen as of late, including last week at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. The young Dane simply knows how to win. Although on the Challenge Tour, he won four times this past season. He placed T8th last week at the Australian PGA and prior to that placed T2nd at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Finale of the Challenge Tour. He also placed T14th at the Genesis Championship, T18th at the FedEx Open de France, T4th at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, T13th at the Open de Espana and T19th at the Danish Golf Championship. He’s destined for stardom and the first stop there would be a victory on the DP World Tour. He finished last season 23rd in SG: OTT, 24th in par four average scoring, 30th in sand saves percentage, 35th in driving accuracy, 45th in scrambling, 55th in SG: APP, 66th in SG: ATG and 78th in SG: PUTT.


Victor Perez (+2500)

Although this field is super top heavy, it lacks depth. Generally speaking, it’s a weaker field event. Going off talent alone, the value Perez offers at 25/1 is too much to pass on. We saw him last week in Australia where he placed T34th. This is the same guy who placed fourth at The Olympics, T10th at the Genesis Scottish Open, T12th at the Memorial Tournament and third at the RBC Canadian Open. I don’t have stats to go off for Perez, but simply going with a talent play here.


David Micheluzzi (+3000)

I remember first being introduced to Micheluzzi well over a year ago when the Golf Nutter made an appearance on the Out of the Rough Podcast. I had little knowledge of the Aussie then but I sure do now. He’s fresh off a fifth place finish at last week’s BMW Australian PGA Championship. He also comes into this week making six consecutive cuts on the DP World Tour, including a T19th at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, T22nd at the Genesis Championship and T27th at the FedEx Open de France. He finished last season fourth on Tour in SG: PUTT, 29th in both scrambling and par four average scoring, 32nd in SG: ATG, 70th in sand saves percentage, 104th in SG: OTT, 111th in driving accuracy and 161st in SG: APP.


Adrien Saddier (+5500)

Saddier finished last season 22nd on Tour in SG: ATG, 34th in par four average scoring, 41st in driving accuracy, 43rd in scrambling, 90th in SG: APP, 93rd in SG: OTT, 104th in SG: PUTT and 113th in sand saves percentage. Saddier placed T34th last week at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. He also recently placed T19th at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, T18th at the FedEx Open de France and T19th at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.


Ashun Wu (+17500)

The four-time DP World Tour winner Wu placed T34th at last week’s BMW Australian PGA Championship. He also finished the most recent DP World Tour season with four consecutive made cuts and seven-of-his-last-eight events. He finished the last season 19th in SG: ATG, 40th in scrambling, 43rd in sand saves percentage, 76th in driving accuracy, 95th in SG: APP, 105th in SG: PUTT, 117th in par four average scoring and 169th in SG: OTT.

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