With the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour on a well-deserved break until the new year, many fans’ attention will now be focused on one of the world’s best mixed events – the ISPS Handa Australian Open.
Since 2022, the premier event Down Under has featured both men and women on the same course, with a number of popular Australian names – including Cameron Smith, Hannah Green, and Min Woo Lee – desperate to win their respective national open for the first time.
Defending men’s champion, Joaquin Niemann heads the list of big-hitting non-Aussies in the field alongside Victor Perez and Jordan Smith. Meanwhile, Jiyai Shin and two-time winner and defending champion, Ashleigh Buhai represent good chances for a non-Australian champion in the women’s event.
With many of the players having now acclimatized to Australian conditions, fans can expect a really high quality of play at both Kingston Heath Golf Club and and Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne.
Keep reading to find out who some of the Golf Monthly team have picked out as likely contenders this week…
Joaquin Niemann kisses the trophy after his win at the 2023 Australian Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)
ISPS Handa Australian Open: The Course
The Australian Open will take place at two courses in Melbourne once again, following a similar framework to when Adrian Meronk won in 2022, as Kingston Heath Golf Club and Victoria Golf Club share hosting duties.
However, while Victoria took three rounds a couple of years back, Kingston Heath is the star of the show this week – perhaps rightly so as the country’s No.2 course behind its near neighbor, Royal Melbourne.
The winning score has been in the mid-teens at various courses over the past few years, but the triumphant total could well be a little closer to par this time if Kingston Heath continues to bare its teeth like it did in 2022 – playing a couple of strokes over par during its lone round.
The finishing layout is a par-72 which is measured at 7,259 yards, while Victoria is closer to 7,000 yards. However, both could play slightly longer given the recent heavy rain in Australia, making length of the tee key once again.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
ISPS HANDA AUSTRALIAN OPEN PREVIOUS WINNERS
Men’s event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic.
| Year | Champion | Winning Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Joaquin Niemann | -14 (playoff – Rikuya Hoshino) |
| 2022 | Adrian Meronk | -14 (five strokes) |
| 2019 | Matt Jones | -15 (one stroke) |
| 2018 | Abraham Ancer | -16 (five strokes) |
| 2017 | Cameron Davis | -11 (one stroke) |
| 2016 | Jordan Spieth | -12 (playoff – Ashley Hall, Cameron Smith) |
| 2015 | Matt Jones | -8 (one stroke) |
| 2014 | Jordan Spieth | -13 (six strokes) |
| 2013 | Rory McIlroy | -18 (one stroke) |
Women’s event was cancelled in 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic.
| Year | Champion | Winning Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Ashleigh Buhai | -9 |
| 2022 | Ashleigh Buhai | -12 |
| 2020 | Inbee Park | -14 |
| 2019 | Nelly Korda | -17 |
| 2018 | Jin-young Ko | -14 |
ISPS Handa Australian Open Betting Odds
The men’s odds to win outright are via DraftKings Sportsbook
- Joaquin Niemann (+450)
- Cam Smith (+750)
- Min Woo Lee (+850)
- Marc Leishman (+1000)
- Lucas Herbert (+1400)
- Cam Davis (+1600)
- Jordan Smith (+1600)
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (+2000)
- Victor Perez (+2200)
- David Micheluzzi (+2800)
- Karl Vilips (+3500)
- Angel Ayora (+4000)
- John Parry (+4000)
- Yannik Paul (+4500)
- Oliver Lindell (+4500)
- Adrien Saddier (+4500)
- Daniel Hillier (+5000)
- Elvis Smylie (+5500)
- Wenyi Ding (+6000)
- Nicolai von Dellingshausen (+6000)
- Kazuma Kobori (+6000)
- Harry Higgs (+6000)
- Richie Ramsay (+6500)
- Todd Clements (+7000)
- Jason Scrivener (+7000)
The women’s odds to win outright are via Bet365
- Minjee Lee (+375)
- Hannah Green (+425)
- Jiyai Shin (+650)
- Grace Kim (+700)
- Ashleigh Buhai (+850)
- Steph Kyriacou (+1100)
- Jenny Shin (+1200)
- Hee Jeong Lim (+2000)
- Cassie Porter (+2500)
- Momoka Kobori (+2800)
ISPS Handa Australian Open Betting Picks
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Jordan Smith (+1600)
Smith narrowly missed out on his PGA Tour card via the DP World Tour but is on a very solid run of form right now with ten consecutive cuts made and finishes of 4th and 7th in that spell. The Englishman has also had two runner-up finishes this year.
He is fully acclimatized after teeing it up in the Australian PGA last week, where he was T21st. While Cam Smith is big favorite, I think Smith, somewhat of a veteran now with two DP World Tour wins to his name, represents very good value.
OUTSIDER: Karl Vilips (+3500)
The former Stanford Cardinal has just earned his PGA Tour card after being named Korn Ferry Tour Rookie of the Year.
The Aussie, who was born in Indonesia and grew up in Australia before moving to the US at the age of 11, is a seriously promising player who won the US Kids World Championship twice, was a Pac-12 champion at College and then recorded a win and a runner-up in his debut season as a pro on the KFT.
While he didn’t play last week, I’m hoping he’ll relish the return to his homeland and put in a strong display Down Under.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Minjee Lee (+375)
There are a few star names playing this week, including 2022 and 2023 champion Ashleigh Buhai, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Grace Kim, Jiyai Shin, Stephanie Kyriacou and Danielle Kang. From this group, I would be backing Minjee Lee to grab her first win of the season.
She has somewhat slipped down the rankings this year from fourth to 17th but has had some good results dotted in and she is a class above the majority of this field.
As an outside chance, Korea’s Jeongmin Cho is the WPGA Tour Australia Order of Merit leader and is incredibly high priced. She isn’t on the best run but is clearly one of the top players on the circuit, so the Korean could well lodge a top-10 result this week.
Barry Plummer
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (+2000)
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen had a storming end to the 2024 season, finishing second at the Challenge Tour Grand Final after three season wins and a run of four top-20 finishes in five starts on the DP World Tour.
The young Dane carried his form forwards into the first event of the 2025 season in Australia last week, finishing in T8th, and I believe he has what it takes to contend again here.
He was third for driving accuracy at the Australian PGA Championship, a great indicator for success here, and was also 12th for Strokes Gained (SG): Tee To Green and 16th for SG: Putting.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen is one of many young Danish golfers with bags of potential, and I don’t think you’ll continue seeing prices like this if his form continues.
CONTENDER: Angel Ayora (+4000)
Another exciting Challenge Tour graduate comes in the form of Angel Ayora, who had a solid final round in Australia last week to catapult himself into the top-10. With that performance, his last three results read sixth, second, second… which is a testament to how talented the Spaniard is.
Last week, Ayora was eighth for SG: Putting, 13th for SG: Around The Green and 17th for SG: Tee to Green – so at this sort of price and in this sort of form, he certainly appeals for an each-way bet.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Caitlin Peirce (+3500)
Promising 21-year-old Caitlin Pierce looks to be an interesting price following her strong end to the 2024 season, finishing second in the Australian Women’s Order Of Merit. Pierce actually played the least counting events of anyone in the top-13 of the rankings, which highlights the quality and consistency of her golf recently.
In her last five ranked events in 2024, Pierce had a 100% record for top-three finishes, including two wins, and didn’t once finish outside the top-11 in any of her eight qualifying events. Up against some strong favourites in this field, she will have to raise her game again, but at this price she represents an exciting each-way bet.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Cam Davis (+1600)
The likes of Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee and Marc Leishman lead the Aussie charge but, this time around, I’ve opted for Cam Davis, who will hope to back-up his sixth place finish at last week’s Australian PGA Championship with another strong showing this week.
Finishing in a share of 42nd last year, he opened that tournament with an eight-under-par 63 and, had it not been for a 74 second round and 75 final round, he may well have challenged at the top of the leaderboard. Importantly, he seems to be in good form and his game suits the layout of Kingston Heath so, come Sunday, I expect him to be contending.
CONTENDER: Nick Voke (+10000)
Following three top-10 results in his last four starts, Voke comes into the tournament in fine form and I think he offers great value, especially after a top eight at last week’s Australian PGA Championship where he carded a final round 65.
Although he missed the cut last year, the Australian seems to have turned a corner regarding form and, looking at his long game stats, he ranks very well in driving accuracy and greens in regulation. Therefore, if he can get his putter working, which he did last week, he could well challenge for the top 10 again.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Hannah Green (+425)
In all honesty, I can only see a winner coming from one of the favorites and, looking at the field, I think Hannah Green is the player I would opt for. Not only does she have three victories in 2024, but she is returning to her native Australia, where the number of wins speaks for itself…
Jonny Leighfield
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Marc Leishman (+1000)
Leishman has enjoyed a sneaky good season in the LIV Golf League, picking up four top-10s and ably assisting his team to a team victory in the season-long race. In all four of those displays, he has picked up at least 1.73 shots on the field – going over 2.63 in three of them.
A T3rd result at the Australian PGA Championship last week shows he is in great form, and I’m willing to overlook his missed cut at this event over these two courses back in 2022 as he was a different player with a different game at that point. Leishman to outlast his Ripper GC captain, leading to more Smith heartbreak.
CONTENDER: John Parry (+4000)
Runner-up in the Challenge Tour standings this season, Englishman Parry has been in excellent form on all manner of courses in a variety of different countries. Although he isn’t the longest off the tee, which could play against him, he is incredibly accurate and generally putts well enough to contend.
Off the back of two top-10s, one of which was at the Australian PGA Championship last week, I’m hopeful Parry can make it a hat-trick in Melbourne…
(Image credit: Getty Images)
FAVORITE: Grace Kim (+700)
Outside of the big two this week (Minjee Lee and Hannah Green), Grace Kim might well be a decent shout to upset the applecart and steal a victory in her homeland. She hasn’t missed a cut in any of her past 11 starts and has six top-25s in that time, too.
Relatively new on the pro scene, having made her LPGA Tour debut last year, Kim could truly announce herself with a win at two tricky golf courses.
HOW TO WATCH ISPS HANDA AUSTRALIAN OPEN
USA (ET)
- Wednesday, November 27 – Round One: 8:00pm – 1:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Thursday, November 28 – Round Two: 8:00pm – 1:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Friday, November 29 – Round Three: 10:00pm – 3:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
- Saturday, November 30 – Round Four: 9:00pm – 2:00am (Golf Channel/NBC Sports App)
UK (GMT)
- Thursday, November 28 – Round One: 1:00am – 6:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Friday, November 29 – Round Two: 1:00am – 6:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Saturday, November 30 – Round Three: 3:00am – 8:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
- Sunday, December 1 – Round Four: 2:00am – 7:00am (Sky Sports Golf)
Golf Monthly Betting Picks: Best DP World Tour Results In 2024
- Alfred Dunhill Links Championship: Tyrrell Hatton WIN (+1100) – Jonny Leighfield
- Genesis Championship: Byeong Hun An WIN (+850) – Jonny Leighfield
- Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Paul Waring WIN (+12000) – Matt Cradock
- Open de France: Thorbjorn Olesen T2nd (+2200) – Barry Plummer
- Open de France: Yannik Paul T2nd (+4000) – Barry Plummer
- Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Tyrrell Hatton 2nd (+650) – Matt Cradock
- BMW Australian PGA Championship: Cameron Smith 2nd (+900) – Matt Cradock and Jonny Leighfield
- Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship: Thorbjorn Olesen T3rd (+2800) – Jonny Leighfield
