The 2007 MFS Australian Open will mark the 17th time our national championship has been played at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney. It is a fitting venue for such a prestigious event that was first held in 1904 at The Australian. Michael Scott was the victor that year and has since gone down in the history pages as the inaugural winner of the Australian Open. Since Scott, a famous group of players have had their name etched added to the honour roll after mastering the fairways and greens of The Australian. It is interesting to note that of all the men to win the trophy since Scott, only one player has achieved this feat multiple times at The Australian. That man is one of the greatest of all time, Jack Nicklaus. The American legend first captured the Australian Open in 1975, in the midst of his golden years. That same year Nicklaus won the US Masters, PGA Championship and finished in the Top 10 of the US Open and Open Championship. He was golf&aposs hottest property and Australians flocked from everywhere to see him. He returned the following year and produced exactly the same result, before winning the Stonehaven Cup for a third and final time in 1978. It was a truly remarkable period for Australian golf to have such a talented and highly respected international player come down under to vie for the Australian Open crown. Throughout the mid 70&aposs, Nicklaus bucked the trend of Australian dominance. In fact, other than the &aposGolden Bear&apos, just one foreigner has walked away from The Australian clutching the Stonehaven Cup and that was fellow American John Morse in 1990. Morse was involved in a dramatic playoff with local favourite Craig Parry who he beat on the first extra hole. It was a thrilling finale to the Open which to this day stands as the only occasion where a playoff has been necessary to decide a winner at The Australian. Coincidentally it occurred on the same day of Australia&aposs Davis Cup defeat at the hands of the United States! Since Morse&aposs triumph in 1990, The Australian has hosted just two more Opens. Australian golf legend Greg Norman won his fifth and final Australian Open in 1996 and Peter Lonard recorded the lowest winning total at The Australian Golf Club in 2004. It is one of the nation&aposs best golf courses and has a fabled chapter in the history of the game in Australia. In just one week&aposs time, our best players tee up once again as they try to write their own story to continue the strong link between The Australian Golf Club and our national championship. Past Australian Opens at The Australian Golf Club
| Year |
Winner |
Score |
| 2004 |
Peter Lonard (AUS) |
279 |
| 1996 |
Greg Norman (AUS) |
280 |
| 1990 |
John Morse (USA) |
283* |
| 1982 |
Bob Shearer |
287 |
| 1978 |
Jack Nicklaus (USA)/td>
| 284 |
| 1977 |
David Graham (AUS) |
284 |
| 1976 |
Jack Nicklaus (USA) |
286 |
| 1975 |
Jack Nicklaus (USA) |
279 |
| 1959 |
Kel Nagle (AUS) |
284 |
| 1949 |
Eric Cremen (AUS) |
287 |
| 1937 |
George Naismith (AUS) |
299 |
| 1931 |
Ivo Whitten (Am) (AUS) |
301 |
| 1925 |
Fred Popplewell (AUS) |
299 |
| 1920 |
Joe Kirkwood Snr. (AUS) |
290 |
| 1908 |
Clyde Pearce (Am) (AUS) |
311 |
| 1904 |
Michael Scott (AUS) |
315 |