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The Australian Open, owned and run by Golf Australia, is the oldest and most prestigious golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia. The Open was first played in 1904 and takes place toward the end of each year. The winner of the tournament receives the Stonehaven Cup.
Status
The prize money is considered modest when compared to tournaments on the PGA Tour and the European Tour, however the Australian Open's position is one of the traditional golf powers. Winners between the mid-1950s to the late 1980s included many of the most distinguished international golfers, such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.
The Australian Open is the "flagship tournament" of the PGA Tour of Australasia, having a special status in the Official World Golf Ranking's points system. This status awards a minimum 32 points to the winner regardless of the strength of the field. The tournament is also part of the OneAsia Tour which was formed in 2009.
Since the Open Qualifying Series was introduced for the 2014 Open Championship, the Australian Open has been one of the qualifying tournaments, giving up to three non-exempt players entry into the Open Championship.
History
In recent years American Jordan Spieth has dominated the event winning twice (2014, 2016) and finishing runner-up once (2015). England's Lee Westwood and Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy are the only European golfers to have won the tournament.
(a) denotes amateur
The 1985 and 2002 events were reduced to 54 holes
In 2016 Spieth won the playoff with a birdie at the first extra hole. In 2008 Clark won the playoff with a par at the first extra hole. In 1997 Westwood won the playoff with a par at the fourth extra hole. In 1990 Morse won the playoff with a par at the first extra hole. In 1972 Thomson won the 18-hole playoff 68 to 74. In 1964 Nicklaus won the 18-hole playoff 67 to 70. In 1948 Pickworth won the 18-hole playoff 71 to 74.
Multiple winners
As of the 2016 event, the following golfers have won the Australian Open more than once.
7 wins
Gary Player: 1958, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1974
Cameron Davis
