Golf Vic Vol 60 No 1

clayton tees off

by Mike Clayton

@MichaelClayto15

Vic Open bigger than the players

Sober and silent … Mike Clayton was the answer to Christina Kim’s prayers for a caddy.

Columnist MIKE CLAYTON says the Vic Open doesn’t need to compete with richer events because it has the right formula. From the very beginning seven years ago, the concept of a mixed Victorian Open was rightly seen as a brilliant and innovative idea but it took until this year for it to really attract the attention of the golfing world.

Increasing the prizemoney and introducing the men’s European Tour and the LPGA was the necessary fillip it needed and whilst far from perfect, it showed the way forward and already it was being talked about as the best tournament in the country. Of course, the national men’s and women’s Opens will always be most countries’ most significant titles but there are lessons to be learned from what’s happening at 13th Beach.

Big Australian tournaments have always relied on the payment of one or more big- name stars to attract sponsors, television interest and legitimacy. Tony Charlton used the ‘one star’ formula from 1977 when he brought Johnny Miller, the hottest golfer in the world at the time, to the Vic Open and it worked brilliantly until 1983. Having Greg Norman, David Graham, Graham Marsh and Bob Shearer as the supporting cast to Miller, Gary

14 Golf Victoria