2028 Presidents Cup to be contested at Kingston Heath Golf Club

[PHOTO: Gary Lisbon]

The PGA Tour and the Presidents Cup announced that the 2028 Presidents Cup will be contested at Kingston Heath Golf Club, one of the most iconic venues on the famed Melbourne Sandbelt. The 2028 Presidents Cup will mark the event’s fourth visit to Melbourne, with the tour having previously announced a long-term commitment with Visit Victoria to staging the Presidents Cup in Melbourne in 2028 and 2040. 

The International Team is still chasing just a second victory in the Presidents Cup, its only previous win coming at Royal Melbourne in 1998. While the 2024 and 2026 events are still to come in Canada and Chicago, respectively, Scott is already thinking about the possibility of another win down under.

“Kingston Heath is a course you wish to win championships on, and I’ve been lucky enough to do that,” Adam Scott, tipped as a potential International team captain in 2028, said. Scott won the 2012 Australian Masters at Kingston Heath. “To showcase another Sandbelt course to the world in an event the size of the Presidents Cup is really fantastic because I think in the big, wide world of golf, they’re sometimes overlooked a little too quickly.”

Consistently ranked as one of the top courses in Australia and around the world, Kingston Heath was designed by Australia’s Dan Soutar and features a natural bunkering layout spearheaded by legendary architect Alister Mackenzie in 1926. Among the noteworthy championships held at Kingston Heath include the Australian Open, which has been hosted seven times and most recently in 2022 when it shared duties with Victoria Golf Club. It has also hosted the 2009 and 2012 Australian Masters, the 2008 Women’s Australian Open, and the 2016 World Cup of Golf.

“Kingston Heath is definitely worthy of it,” Scott says, “and it’ll be a really interesting match play course because usually we’re stroke playing around there, a lot of caution is used, so it might be fun for everyone who’s familiar with it to see potentially a little more attack.”

“While not being as dramatic a piece of land as Royal Melbourne, for example, or even Victoria (Golf Club), just the design of the golf course [at Kingston Heath] is so phenomenal,” he said. “There’s nothing necessarily spectacular or intimidating, yet the crafty design work makes it play spectacular and eventually a little intimidating once you face shots that you weren’t aware were out there.”

“On behalf of the PGA Tour, we are excited to bring the 2028 Presidents Cup to Kingston Heath Golf Club as we further cement the history and future of this event in the great city of Melbourne,” added PGA Tour senior vice-president of championship management, Matt Rapp. “The Sandbelt region is home to some of the game’s most iconic venues, and Kingston Heath has proven to be a world-class host for a number of golf’s biggest tournaments. We are looking forward to contesting an incredible Presidents Cup that Australians can take tremendous pride in, showcasing Kingston Heath to golf fans around the world.”

Notable champions at Kingston Heath include Gary Player (1970 Australian Open) Adam Scott (2012 Australian Masters), Karrie Webb (2008 Women’s Australian Open) and Tiger Woods (2009 Australian Masters), who won on his sixth continent with the victory in Australia.

“Kingston Heath has a long and proud history of hosting major events and celebrating the best golfers in the world on our championship course. The opportunity to host a world-renowned iconic event celebrating the best players in the game is incredibly exciting,” said Kingston Heath captain Stephen Montfort. “Kingston Heath is subtle but demanding, and the format of the Presidents Cup promises to deliver many memorable moments to celebrate at one of the great golf courses in world golf. Our members are thrilled at the opportunity to showcase our wonderful Club and we look forward to welcoming golf fans from all around the world to The Heath.”

Kingston Heath will represent the fifth international venue to host the Presidents Cup, joining Royal Melbourne Golf Club (1998, 2011, 2019); The Links at Fancourt Hotel & Country Club Estate (2003); Royal Montreal Golf Club (2007, 2024); and Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea (2015).  

“The Presidents Cup solidifies Melbourne’s position as one of the greatest golf destinations on the planet and we can’t wait to welcome this prestigious global event to Kingston Heath in 2028,” Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said. “Our long-term partnership with PGA Tour will deliver two high-calibre events – showcasing our city as a must-visit golf destination to viewers from around the world and reinforcing Victoria’s status as the major events capital of Australia.”

The 2028 Presidents Cup will mark the event’s fourth visit to Melbourne, matching Gainesville (Virginia, USA) for most Cups contested in one city. Its most recent trip to Melbourne was in 2019, when World Golf Hall of Fame captains Ernie Els and Tiger Woods squared off at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in one of the most dramatic Presidents Cups in history, with Woods’ United States team mounting a final-day comeback to win.

The Presidents Cup will return from September 24-29, 2024, as the event makes its return to Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada for the first time since 2007. With today’s announcement, the Presidents Cup has its venues secured through 2030: