Australian Women’s Classic to showcase more stars at Bonville

One of the most exciting Australian women’s golf championships will return to the beautiful Mid-North Coast of New South Wales next week.

The Australian Women’s Classic—Bonville, presented by Pacific Bay Resort Studios, will run from April 5 to 7 at the world-renowned Bonville Golf Resort. 

After a one-year hiatus, the tournament – one of the centrepieces of the WPGA Tour of Australasia – will return to the Ladies European Tour (LET) schedule for the 2024 season.

Graeme Phillipson, chief operating officer for Golf NSW, said the resumption of the co-sanctioning agreement was welcome news for many of the sport’s best domestic-based players.

“Opportunities for our elite female athletes are sometimes few and far between,” Phillipson said. “So it’s an absolute thrill to see the Australian Women’s Classic return to the LET schedule this year.” 

Phillipson added the renewal of the co-sanctioning arrangement with the WPGA Tour and LET provided an excellent avenue for the game’s best domestic players to make their mark.

“You have to look no further than the impressive strides our 2020 champion, Steph Kyriacou, has made in such a short space of time to realise what an opportunity this event is.”

Phillipson said adding free-to-air coverage of the final two rounds through the Seven Network on the 7Plus platform was a fabulous boost for the tournament and women’s golf.

“Being able to showcase elite women’s golf to a broader audience than we ever have before will be a great boost to not just the event but the sport as a whole. More people will see it than ever before. It will highlight what a fantastic venue Bonville is and showcase the talented players our great game produces.”

WPGA Tour of Australasia chief executive Karen Lunn said the Australian Women’s Classic has plenty to offer both on and off the course.

“With its superb layout and facilities, Bonville is a fantastic venue for this event. Everyone at the resort is dedicated to making it a memorable week for all of their guests,” Lunn said. “The Coffs Coast is always a great place to visit. When our professionals aren’t out on the course, they’ll explore as much of the region as possible to get the full experience.

“The field we have assembled this year is exceptional, with the best of the WPGA Tour of Australasia up against the stars of the LET. We’re guaranteed to have some wonderful golf to enjoy.”

Brad Daymond, general manager of Bonville Golf Resort, said it was a delight to again welcome the stars of the Ladies European Tour to the revered Coffs Coast complex.

“We are thrilled to host the Australian Women’s Classic–Bonville, presented by Pacific Bay Resort Studios, which will showcase to the world the beauty of Bonville Golf Resort, which is enjoyed by thousands of guests who stay and play here annually.”

THE TOURNAMENT

The Australian Women’s Classic–Bonville, presented by Pacific Bay Resort Studios
Formerly known as The Australian Ladies Classic—Bonville, the name change reflects the competitors’ athleticism and influences the general conversation about recognising sporting achievements due to talent.

Venue: Bonville Golf Resort
Date: April 5 to 7
2024 purse:  €300,000 (approx. $A500,000)

Past champions:
2018: Celine Boutier (FRA)
2019: Marianne Skarpnord (NOR)
2020: Steph Kyriacou (AUS)
2022: Meghan MacLaren (ENG)
2023: Breanna Gill (AUS)

Players to watch:

Meghan MacLaren (ENG) and Marianne Skarpnord (NOR): The former champions and members of the LET will look forward to a bright start at a venue that holds warm memories for them.

Shannon Tan (SIN): A trailblazer for Singaporean women’s golf, she claimed victory in the Singapore Ladies Masters in 2023 and won the Magical Kenya Ladies Open in her LET debut.

Bronte Law (ENG): A three-time winner on the LET, most recently this February in Morocco, Law also won on the LPGA Tour, claiming the 2019 Pure Silk Championship. 

Anne Van Dam (NED): A Solheim Cup representative for Europe, the five-time winner on the LET returns to Bonville ready to contend on a course that should suit her prodigious length.

Kelsey Bennett (AUS): A recent winner of the WPGA Tour’s The Athena tournament, Bennett will be looking to vault her way onto the LET after missing out at the tour’s qualifying school in late 2023.