The DP World Tour completes a two-event Australian stretch in Melbourne this week as two venues, Kingston Heath Golf Club and Victoria Golf Club, play host to the Australian Open.
Once one of the most prestigious titles in the sport, the 2024 Australian Open has attracted a low-key field, although LIV Golf's Joaquin Niemann, defending the Stonehaven Cup this week, provides star quality as does the presence of some of Australia's best.
Niemann's victory last year came at two Sydney courses but, as was the case in 2022, hosting duties have been handed to two Melbourne venues.
The field rotates around the two courses over Thursday and Friday before the winner is decided at Kingston Heath over the weekend.
Part of the famous Melbourne Sandbelt, Kingston Heath is a notoriously tough track which has hosted Open Championship qualifying and is links-like in its appearance.
It's not a long course, but tricky greens demand both accurate approach play and a sparkling short game.
- MIN WOO LEE TO WIN AND EACH-WAY
- DAVID MICHELUZZI TO WIN AND EACH-WAY
- JOHN PARRY TO WIN AND EACH-WAY
Lee Looks Made For Melbourne Test
Niemann and Cameron Smith deserve respect, but Kingston Heath is made for Min Woo Lee, who can end an up-and-down year on a high with victory in his national Open.
While his length off the tee is not always an advantage at this venue, rain has softened the fairways in Melbourne in recent days and that's a positive for the power-packed Perth man, as is his status as one of golf's finest short-game exponents.
Lee has struggled a bit on the greens recently, but he's a superb chipper, something he demonstrated when third in the 2022 Australian Open, when Victoria hosted three of the four rounds and Kingston Heath the other.
Lee also finished third in Sydney last season and he signed off with a 66 to finish 15th at last week's Australian PGA Championship, where he led the field in strokes-gained both from tee to green and around the green.
MIN WOO LEE TO WIN AND EACH-WAY
Local Hero Micheluzzi Poised For A Breakthrough
This field is dominated by Australians but there might not be a more popular winner than David Micheluzzi, a Melburnian who will relish competing in his hometown.
Micheluzzi was tenth in the 2022 Aussie Open, helped by a first-round 63 at Victoria, and he has improved over the last two years, becoming a more consistent DP World Tour performer.
Fifth in Brisbane last week, Micheluzzi has heaps of Sandbelt form to his name, winning two prestigious amateur titles in Victoria, including at Victoria GC in 2018, while his most recent Australasian Tour win came in last year's Victorian PGA Championship.
DAVID MICHELUZZI TO WIN AND EACH-WAY
In-Form Parry Ready To Win Again
There are a few European challengers near the top of the market including John Parry, the resurgent Challenge Tour graduate who is playing some of the best golf of his career having turned 38 earlier in the month.
Parry won three times on the Challenge Tour this year, which earned him a DP World Tour card for the 2025 season, and he made immediate use of it with a top-ten finish in last week's Australian PGA.
Having led the Dunhill Links field at the halfway stage in 2010, eventually finishing third, the Yorkshireman could take to the demands of Kingston Heath.
JOHN PARRY TO WIN AND EACH-WAY
