The Women’s Australian Open will return to Adelaide next year with Kooyonga Golf Club to host the first of three tournaments in the South Australian capital from March 12-15, 2026. 

The Open will feature on both the WPGA Tour of Australasia and Ladies European Tour (LET) schedules with its return to ‘The Festival State’. Kooyonga, located 15 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD has built a growing reputation for hosting major events and its elite golf course is perennially ranked among the top golf courses in Australia. 

Kooyonga superintendent Richard James and his crew will be hoping to replicate the success of hosting the 2018 Women’s Australian Open when the top Australian and international golfers return to the course. The Women’s Australian Open returns to a standalone event for the first time since 2022.

“It’s good to have another opportunity as a club to host the event and bring it back to Adelaide,” James said. “When Covid hit everybody was disappointed, in 2021 we were supposed to host it, so we missed a few opportunities to host but to come back as a standalone is a good thing.

“The other thing is there’s been a lot of change in the staff since that time, no one from the last time we hosted (aside from James) was at the club, so it’s a change in the ranks and there’s a lot excitement amongst the team to get it ready.”

James said it would be business as usual from a turf management perspective in the lead-in to the tournament.

“There’s possibly a few things later in the year but we’ll just do some maintenance, usual winter maintenance stuff and go from there,” he said. “We’ll renovate as per normal schedule in October as we usually will and get through to Christmas.

“In the last six weeks before the tournament that’s when things will ramp up.”

Kooyonga has made a few staff changes recently to its turf crew with assistant Adam Fry moving on to Glenelg Golf Club. He has been replaced by Matt Gates who has been promoted from within.

“We’re fortunate enough to have a chance to promote within. Matt has been around for seven years or so and worked through the ranks and has stepped up into that role and we’ve filled the foreman’s role as well.

“It’s good to offer the opportunities to the guys, it was good to be in that position. We know it’s challenging to find staff in the world we’re in so it’s important to develop our guys within.” 

Jiyai Shin (2024 winner), Ash Buhai, Inbee Park, Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko have been recent winners of the major championship with hopes a strong Australian contingent that tees up in Adelaide can break a home drought dating back to 2014 when Karrie Webb was the last local winner.

Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said the commitment from the South Australian Government will help elevate what has always been considered the premier women’s golf event in the region, with many famous names on its honour roll.

“Securing the state of South Australia as the host of this historic and highly regarded event for the next three years is a significant win for players and fans, who will no doubt be treated to a terrific event,” he said.

“Kooyonga will provide the perfect stage to showcase the incredible talent set to feature in the field, including our top players who compete overseas on the game’s biggest stage, the rising local talent from the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the international contingent from the Ladies European Tour.”

The news follows the announcement back in mid-May that Rory Mcllroy will headline the men’s Australian Open in December, to be held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. Both events as standalone fixtures once again are set to draw in major crowds and public interest.

Karen Lunn, CEO of the WPGA of Australia, said a standalone women’s Australian Open provides the perfect platform to showcase women’s golf.

“Adelaide has a proven track record in hosting headline events including previous Australian Opens, and we look forward to showcasing all it has to offer which includes some of Australia’s finest golf courses. We are grateful to the South Australian Government for providing us with a platform that allows us to showcase our best Australian players with those from across the globe,” Lunn said.

“The current number of Aussie players teeing it up, and contending, on both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour each week continues to show that we punch above our weight on the international stage and that women’s golf has arguably never been stronger in Australia.

“I am certain our players will be determined to break the Aussie drought in 2026 and lift the Patricia Bridges Bowl.”
 

Story by Nick Creely/pictures supplied