Golf NSW is delighted to announce Ford Australia as a Major Partner of Golf NSW, including the NSW Open Golf and Women’s NSW Open Golf Championships for the next two years.
“The Ford NSW Open Championships represent the pinnacle of golf in our great state, and we’re excited to welcome the iconic motor vehicle company onboard as the naming rights partner for the Championships for the next two years.
“Ford’s support reinforces our commitment to elevating the Championships on both the national and international stage and as a premier event on the Australian golfing calendar,” said Graeme Phillipson, Chief Operating Officer of Golf NSW.
The exciting commitment will see Ford become the principal partner of the NSW Men’s & Women’s Championships into 2026, beginning with the time-honoured NSW Open Championship at Murray Downs Golf & Country Club from November 14th to 17th, 2024.
The Ford badge will also be present when the Ladies European Tour (LET) Co-Sanctioned Ford Women’s NSW Open is played at Wollongong Golf Club from March 20th to 23rd, 2025.
“Today, we’re proud to announce our partnership with Golf NSW, as we head into the NSW Open Championship next week and upcoming NSW Women’s Open next year,” says Ambrose Henderson, Director of Marketing, Ford Australia.
“Our partnership with Golf NSW not only supports these major events, but many regional ones, including junior golf and development programs across New South Wales.
“Ford has been involved in Australian sport for nearly 100 years and the opportunity to assist in the future growth of golf in NSW demonstrates our commitment to continuing our legacy of supporting local communities through sport,” Henderson adds.
2024 marked a pivotal expansion for Golf NSW, with the organisation’s major championships heading to regional New South Wales, allowing a broader audience to experience top-level golf for the first time.
With interest in the sport at a high, Golf NSW and Ford are dedicated to enhancing the NSW Open experience for players and spectators, with exciting initiatives planned for this year’s Championship.
Championship Facts:
2024 Ford NSW Open
Host Venue: Murray Downs Golf & Country Club
Dates: November 14 – 17, 2024
Prize Fund: AU$800,000 (Min)
Website: www.nswopen.com
The Venue:
Designed by Ted Parslow and opened in 1991, Murray Downs Golf & Country Club is one of Australia’s leading golf courses & rated the #1 golf course along the Murray River. The 18-hole championship par-71 [DT1] layout is a striking contrast to the Mallee plains surrounding it. It has well-manicured fairways and large undulating greens framed by magnificent river gums. The course has several great holes, including the signature 5th, a long water carry to a well-guarded green.
The 2024 Championship will feature two of the game’s biggest stars, the 2021 Open Champion and Captain of Ripper GC on the LIV Golf League, Cameron Smith, and his Ripper GC Teammate, Lucas Herbert.
History
The New South Wales Open has a rich history stretching back to 1931, pre-dating the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.
First held at Manly Golf Club, the tournament was initially played as a ‘close’ format championship, meaning it was open only to residents of New South Wales.
Tom Howard, Sam Richardson, and Charlie Gray finished in a three-way tie in the inaugural event, with Charlie Gray lifting the title after a 36-hole play-off.
The Open grabbed the NSW public’s attention during the Great Depression when many had little to look forward to other than cheering on our sporting heroes.
It quickly evolved into the tournament ‘They all wanted to play‘ and soon became one of the big three tournaments, alongside the Australian Open and the Australian PGA Championship.
Legends
The list of players crowned NSW Open Champion is impressive and includes some of the greatest names in Australian Golf, such as World Golf Hall of Fame inductees Kel Nagle, Greg Norman, and Peter Thomson.
Other names to lift the Kel Nagle Cup include Norman Von Nida, Frank Phillips, Ian Baker-Finch, Ted Ball, Billy Dunk, Peter Lonard, Jack Newton, Peter O’Malley, Craig Parry, Bob Shearer, & Ian Stanley.
Six amateurs, including five-time champion Jim Ferrier, Owen Beldham, Tony Gresham, Rick Kulacz, Ben Eccles and Harrison Crowe are also on the list of Champions.
Notable Past Champions
1976, 79 Jack Newton
1984 Ian Baker-Finch
1978, 83, 86, 88 Greg Norman
1987, 92 Craig Parry
2004 Peter Lonard
2022 Harrison Crowe (a)
2023 David Micheluzzi
2025 Ford Women’s NSW Open
Host Venue: Wollongong Golf Club
Dates: March 20 – 23rd, 2025
Prize Fund: AU$500,000 (Min)
Website: womensnswopen.com.au
The Venue:
Founded in 1897, the 18-hole links golf course at Wollongong is just a few minutes walk from the City CBD and boasts withering views along the NSW coast towards Stanwell Park in the north and the industrial skyline of Port Kembla in the south.
With its beachside location, the course prioritises position off the tee as much as length and will be a worthy challenge for competitors vying for the Jan Stephenson Trophy.
The 2025 Championship will be co-sanctioned by the Women’s PGA Tour of Australia (WPGA) and the Ladies European Tour (LET).
History:
First held in 2006, the tournament has been the catalyst for some of the brightest stars in the game to begin their careers, while for others, victory in the Women’s NSW Open helped underline their legacy to the sport.
Dame Laura Davies, widely acknowledged as one of Women’s golf’s greatest-ever players, lifted the trophy in 2008.
Former women’s world number one and the 2024 Olympic champion, Kiwi Lydia Ko, won her first professional event at age 13 in the 2012 Women’s NSW Open.
Two players have successfully defended their women’s NSW Open Crown, New South Wales’s Sarah Oh in 2009 & 2010, while England’s Meghan MacLaren successfully defended her 2018 Crown (won at Coffs Harbour) with a hard-fought victory at Queanbeyan in 2019.
About Golf NSW
Golf NSW is the governing body for golf in New South Wales, dedicated to fostering talent and increasing participation across all levels.
Through premier events like the NSW Open Championships, Golf NSW showcases the best Australian golf, providing a platform for established professionals and emerging amateurs to develop into players equipped to compete against the sport’s best on the world stage.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough electric vehicles along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 174,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
The 2024 Ford NSW Open Golf Championship and 2025 Ford Women’s NSW Open are proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
