ADELAIDE, Australia — Cam Smith, a former champion of the British Open, has expressed strong disapproval regarding the simultaneous scheduling of the men’s and women’s Australian Open tournaments. Thus, he welcomed Golf Australia’s recent announcement to once again hold the events separately.

“We want to come down and play and support our event,” Smith stated on Thursday at The Grange in Adelaide, where LIV Golf will kick off its only Australian event on Friday. “I believe that having a more distinct competition will lead to an enhanced field, encouraging more players to participate in the Australian Open and restoring it to its former glory.”

This week, James Sutherland, the chief executive officer of Golf Australia, confirmed that the “national open championships will stand independently” and “thrive on their own merits.”

Sutherland elaborated, “After our yearly event review, which involved engaging with key stakeholders, Golf Australia has opted to separate the men’s and women’s Australian Open tournaments. We take pride in what has been accomplished over the last three years.”

Smith, the 2022 British Open winner who had consistently criticized the mixed-format approach used in recent years, voiced hopes that the tournament would again be hosted in Melbourne. At this moment, no official dates for the men’s or women’s Opens have been revealed.

Lucas Herbert, a teammate of Smith’s at Ripper GC and also an Australian, supports the decision for a split. The previous year’s joint tournament took place in late November at Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs, known for their esteemed sandbelt region in Melbourne.

“We would have preferred to see an Australian Open venue arranged differently, and I believe we were somewhat constrained by having the women compete alongside us,” Herbert commented. “The optimal course setup varies for each group, so it’s not justifiable to prepare them identically. Splitting the Australian Opens is a positive change.”