| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Australia |
| Established | 1974 |
| Course(s) | Royal Melbourne GC |
| Par | 73 |
| Length | 5,499 m (6,014 yd) |
| Tour(s) | LPGA Tour, ALPG Tour, LET |
| Format | Stroke play, 4 rounds |
| Prize fund | US$1.1 million |
| Month played | February |
| Defunct | No |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 270 Karrie Webb (2000) |
| To par | -22 Karrie Webb (2000) |
| Current champion | |
| Yani Tseng | |
The Women's Australian Open is a golf tournament played in Australia which is sanctioned by the ALPG Tour and the Ladies European Tour (LET). In 2008, it was the second-richest women's golf tournament on the ALPG Tour, with a prize fund of A$500,000. It is known for sponsorship purposes as the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open.
The Australian Ladies Open was originally founded in 1974 as a 54-hole event, but folded after 1978. It was resurrected in 1994 as the Women's Australian Open, this time as a 72-hole event. Annika Sörenstam won that year, which was her first professional win. It was also Karrie Webb's professional debut, and she would later win the event four times. Starting in 2000, the Ladies European Tour began co-sanctioning the tournament.[1] Following the 2004 event, sponsorship difficulties caused the tournament to stop once again, but after a two-year hiatus the tournament returned in 2007.[2] The Women's Australian Open usually moves between various courses around Australia, except from 1995 through 2002 when it was held at the Yarra Yarra Golf Club in Melbourne. The 2008 event was held at Kingston Heath Golf Club.[3]
For several years after its return in 1994, the Women's Australian Open was played early in the ALPG schedule, usually in November. Starting in 2000, it was changed to be played at the end of the schedule in February near the ANZ Ladies Masters, to allow both tournaments to be part of the Ladies European Tour. Since the Women's Australian Open was played from 12–15 November 1998 during the 1998/1999 ALPG season, it was therefore not played during the 1999 calendar year.[1][4]
Tournament names through the years:
| Year | Champion | Country | Score | Venue | Purse (A$) | Winner's Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Yani Tseng | Taiwan | 276 (-16) | The Commonwealth Golf Club | $600,000 | $90,000 |
| 2010 | Yani Tseng | Taiwan | 283 (-9) | The Commonwealth Golf Club | $600,000 | $90,000 |
| 2009 | Laura Davies | England | 285 | Metropolitan Golf Club | $500,000 | $75,000 |
| 2008 | Karrie Webb | Australia | 284 | Kingston Heath Golf Club | $500,000 | $75,000 |
| 2007 | Karrie Webb | Australia | 278 | Royal Sydney Golf Club | $500,000 | $75,000 |
| 2005-06: Not played | ||||||
| 2004 | Laura Davies | England | 283 | Concord Golf Club | $550,000 | $82,500 |
| 2003 | Mhairi McKay | Scotland | 277 | Terrey Hills Golf & Country Club | $500,000 | $75,000 |
| 2002 | Karrie Webb | Australia | 278 | Yarra Yarra Golf Club | $500,000 | $75,000 |
| 2001 | Sophie Gustafson | Sweden | 276 | Yarra Yarra Golf Club | $400,000 | $60,000 |
| 2000 | Karrie Webb | Australia | 270 | Yarra Yarra Golf Club | $350,000 | $52,500 |
| 1998 | Marnie McGuire | New Zealand | 280 | Yarra Yarra Golf Club | $350,000 | $52,500 |
| 1997 | Jane Crafter | Australia | 279 | Yarra Yarra Golf Club | $350,000 | $52,500 |
| 1996 | Catriona Matthew | Scotland | 283 | Yarra Yarra Golf Club | $300,000 | $45,000 |
| 1995 | Liselotte Neumann | Sweden | 283 | Yarra Yarra Golf Club | $250,000 | $37,500 |
| 1994 | Annika Sörenstam | Sweden | 286 | Royal Adelaide Golf Club | $200,000 | $30,000 |
| 1979-93: Not played | ||||||
| 1978 | Debbie Austin | United States | 213 | Manly Golf Club | $15,000 | |
| 1977 | Jan Stephenson | Australia | 145[5] | Manly Golf Club | $15,000 | |
| 1976 | Donna Caponi Young | United States | 206 | Victoria Golf Club | $15,000 | |
| 1975 | JoAnne Carner | United States | 228 | The Australian Golf Club | $15,000 | |
| 1974 | Chako Higuchi | Japan | 219 | Victoria Golf Club | $10,000 | |
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