FILE PHOTO: Golf - The 150th Open Championship - Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland, Britain - July 17, 2022 General view as Australia's Cameron Smith putts a birdie on the 18th during the final round REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File Photo
(Reuters) - The Australian Open will no longer have the men's and women's tournaments take place simultaneously, Golf Australia said on Saturday after the dual gender format drew criticism from top players.
The mixed format, introduced in 2022 to reboot the local tour after it was shut down by COVID-19, has long had its detractors who say it diminishes the standing of both the men's and women's national Opens, which were previously standalone events.
The criticism continued in last year's edition, with men's headliner Cameron Smith accusing officials of watering down the usually hard and fast sandbelt course despite rainy weather that contributed to soft and slow conditions.
Australian major winner Hannah Green also said the course setup had "generous" pin placements to make sure all players could get their rounds, and Australia's first Masters winner Adam Scott elected to skip the tournament last year.
Golf Australia said it had taken the decision to scrap the format after an annual review, which included discussions with key stakeholders.
"Golf Australia has made the decision to separate the Australian Open men's and women's tournaments," the body's chief executive James Sutherland said in a statement to Australian media.
"We are proud of what has been achieved over the past three years with mixed-gender Australian Opens, together with the All-Abilities Championship. With record crowds and broadcast audiences there is a lot to be pleased about.
"Our long-term event strategy is to build the profile of our tournaments and to showcase the game at the highest level. This move aligns to our strategy and will allow flexibility to better adapt to the ever-changing landscape in world golf."
The Australian Open is traditionally played towards the end of the year.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)
