Four past champions and one of golf’s brightest young stars are the latest players to add their names to the impressive field for the ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open at Victoria Golf Club which begins in just 13 days’ time, from 13-16 February.
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| The 2013 champion Jiyai Shin |
Former world number one Taiwanese Yani Tseng, 2012 champion American Jessica Korda, English veteran Laura Davies and Scotland’s Catriona Matthew have all lifted the Patricia Bridges Bowl during their careers.
The former champions join English Solheim Cup star Charley Hull to compete for US$1.2 million on Melbourne’s renowned sandbelt.
Tseng won back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 while Davies won in 2004 and 2009. Korda won in a dramatic six-way play-off in 2012 and added her second LPGA victory at the season-opening Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic last week. World Number 11 Matthew won the title in 1996.
Hull, from Kettering in England, burst onto the European scene in 2013 with a series of brilliant performances. The 17 year-old capped her extraordinary season with a string of key victories in the Solheim Cup which helped the European team capture the title on American soil for the first time in the event’s history.
The news follows the recent confirmation that 2010 U.S Open champion and World Number 12 Paula Creamer will make her first trip to Australia to compete in the championship.
Tseng, Korda, Davies, Matthew and Hull join already confirmed stars and world top 10 players Suzann Pettersen, Stacy Lewis, Lydia Ko, Karrie Webb and Lexi Thompson in the field.
In a further boost to the championship, the Australian Government has contributed $300,000 towards the 2014 championship, to support the broadcasting of one of the leading women’s sporting events in the Asia-Pacific region.
Golf Australia CEO Stephen Pitt said the mix of young guns and experienced champions made for a huge week of golf in Melbourne.
“Quite simply, we’ve got the best players in the world heading to Melbourne for a fantastic week of international golf. It’s a great mix of the world’s top 20 players, break-out teenage talent and a host of former champions who know how much it means to win this championship,” Pitt said.
“Get in now and buy your tickets at very family-friendly prices. Children under 15 are free and if you’re golf club member, you’re also entitled to 50 per cent off the cost of tickets so make sure you take advantage of this great offer at womensausopen.com”
The championship is sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour, the LPGA Tour and the ALPG Tour.
ABC TV will broadcast 15 hours of live coverage across all four days while millions will see the action overseas via the LPGA Tour’s global television platform.
Tickets are now on sale at Ticketek at www.ticketek.com or by calling 132 849.
