After a successful return to The Vintage Golf Club in 2025, the Ford New South Wales Open remains in the Hunter Valley in 2026, with the Greg Norman-designed layout once again providing the stage for one of the most prestigious titles on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
An $800,000 prize purse, and triple the Order of Merit points on offer in each of the opening four events this season, has attracted a formidable field headed by Lucas Herbert in the first Australian event of his post-LIV Golf era.
The 2024 NSW Open champion at Murray Downs has turned in an outstanding 2026 campaign that included two LIV Golf victories and a tied-sixth finish at The Open Championship, where he equalled the major championship scoring record with a second-round 62.
As well, Herbert is seeking a pro ninth victory with five of those wins on different tours.
He’s the clear favourite this week, but he won’t be expecting it to be a breeze.
The starting list includes 18 winners from the past two seasons on the Australasian Tour including new WA Open champion James Marchesani, who returns to The Vintage looking to go one better after finishing runner-up in a dramatic three-way playoff in 2025, and Austin Bautista, making his first start in Australia for the season after winning on the Sunshine Tour.
Also entered are last-start Players Series South Australia champion Adam Bland, PNG Open winner Josh Armstrong and current Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia No.1 Louis Dobbelaar, who has two runner-up finishes already this season.
Rising NSW amateur Kayun Mudadana will also be one to watch following his outstanding third-place finish at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Te Arai.
Last year’s winner Christopher Wood is not back this week, playing instead in an Asian Tour event in the Philippines, while joint runner-up Will Florimo has been part of the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School.
There will be five hours of live coverage of the final two rounds, with play broadcast from 12pm on Saturday and Sunday on Kayo Sports and Foxtel.
Ford NSW Open
The Vintage Golf Club, Pokolbin, Hunter Valley
Last year’s winner: Christopher Wood
Prizemoney: $800,000
Live scores: golf.com.au
Facebook: @PGATourAus
Instagram: @PGATourAus
X: @PGAofAustralia
TV Coverage
The Ford NSW Open is live on Kayo and Foxtel
*All times AEDT.
Round 3: Saturday 12pm-5pm (Kayo/Fox Sports 503)
Final Round: Sunday 12pm-5pm (Kayo/Fox Sports 503)
Players To Watch
Lucas Herbert – Eight worldwide wins, 2024 NSW Open winner
Louis Dobbelaar – Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit leader
James Marchesani – WA Open champion, 2024 NSW Open runner-up
Daniel Gale – Three-time PGA Tour of Australasia champion
Austin Bautista – Six worldwide wins
Declan O’Donovan – Reigning Challenger PGA Tour Rookie of the Year
Recent tournament champions
2007 Jason Norris (The Vintage)
2008 Aaron Townsend (The Vintage)
2009 Leigh McKechnie (The Vintage)
2010 Peter O’Malley (The Vintage)
2011 Adam Crawford (Newcastle Golf Club)
2012 Not contested
2013 Aron Price (Castle Hill Country Club)
2014 Anthony Brown (Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club)
2015 Ben Eccles (Stonecutters Ridge Golf Course)
2016 Adam Blyth (Stonecutters Ridge Golf Club)
2017 Jason Scrivener (Twin Creeks Golf and CC)
2018 Jake McLeod (Twin Creeks Golf and CC)
2019 Josh Younger (Twin Creeks Golf and CC)
2020 Not contested
2021 Bryden Macpherson (Concord Golf Club)
2022 Harrison Crowe (Concord Golf Club)
2023 David Micheluzzi (Rich River Golf Club, East Cse)
2024 Lucas Herbert (Murray Downs G&CC)
2025 Christopher Wood (The Vintage)
Tournament Low Round
61, Peter Cooke (R1, 2010); Andrew Dodt (R2, 2019)
Tournament Low Round at The Vintage
61, Peter Cooke (R1, 2010)
