ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Former British Open champion Cam Smith was vocal in his criticism of both the men’s and women’s Australian Open tournaments being played concurrently, so he was more than pleased to hear that Golf Australia had made a decision to once again hold them separately.

“Not only do we want to come down and play and obviously support our event, I think it lends itself to have a stronger field, having more guys come down here and play the Australian Open and let it be the event that it once was,” Smith said Thursday at The Grange in Adelaide, where LIV Golf’s sole Australian stop will begin Friday.

Earlier this week, Golf Australia chief executive officer James Sutherland announced that “both national open championships will stand on their own” and “prosper in their own right.”

“Following our annual event review, which included discussions with key stakeholders, Golf Australia has made the decision to separate the Australian Open men’s and women’s tournaments,” Sutherland added. “We are proud of what has been achieved over the past three years.”

Smith, the 2022 British Open champion who had led criticism of the mixed format staged over the past three years, said he hoped the tournament would again be held in Melbourne. No future dates for either the men’s or women’s Open have been announced.

Smith’s Ripper GC teammate and fellow Australian Lucas Herbert also was in favor of the change. Last year’s joint tournament was played at the Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs in Melbourne’s famed sandbelt area in late November.

“We would have loved to have seen an Australian Open venue play a little differently from what it was and I think we were a little handcuffed, as well, from having the women play with us,” Herbert said. “The ideal course set-up for them and the ideal course set-up for us is a little different.

“I don’t think you should set up the courses the same way because it’s not fair to either gender . . . it’s a great move that we’re now splitting the Australian Opens.”

___

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf