Australian Open keen to tee up sponsors

The Australian Open golf tournament has made great strides in recent years towards reclaiming its former glory but organisers admit a major sponsor must be found quickly to keep the momentum going. Golf Australia announced that Royal Sydney GC in Rose Bay will stage the event for the 13th time from December 11-14 this year, where Australian veteran Craig Parry will defend his title. World No.5 Geoff Ogilvy is also a confirmed starter, while organisers are confident the likes of Adam Scott, Aaron Baddeley, Stuart Appleby and Robert Allenby will also compete. But the tournament, which once ranked among the biggest in world golf, is searching for a major sponsor after a three-year deal with troubled fund management company MFS ended last month. Golf Australia chief executive Tony Hallam stressed they would take their time finding an appropriate and preferably long-term partner, but the reality is one is needed sooner rather than later. The tournament purse, which rose to $1.75 million last year, is yet to be determined and may have to be scaled back. Thankfully for Golf Australia, the Open does have an existing relationship with Events NSW, a government organisation that assists event organisers in the state. "MFS had been a tremendous supporter of golf over the last three years so I suppose we needed to take our time with them and ... work through with them their issues and we parted ways about a month ago," Hallam said. "We're certainly active in the market place and we're in good shape in many ways. "The Open as a commercial venture has a number of revenue streams - tv, gate receipts, hospitality, supportive sponsors. "That said, the naming rights sponsor or major partner is a very key one to fill. "We're very lucky to have the support of Events NSW and their support helps give some certainty to the future of the event." Paul McNamee spent the past two years in the new role of executive director of the men's and women's Australian Opens, before leaving to join AFL club Melbourne earlier this year. The men's tournament attracted over 40,000 fans in both 2006 and 2007 and managed to lift its previously waning profile. McNamee successfully lured drawcard Greg Norman back in 2006, the last time the Open was held at Royal Sydney, while Parry was a popular winner when he held off a hot field to claim his first Stonehaven Cup last year. McNamee won't be replaced, rather his role will be filled by some of his support staff. Hallam remains confident the Open is making solid progress. "The Australian Open really does matter and that's really going to be the theme we run with this year in terms of promoting the event," he said. "(Ogilvy's) our top-ranked player and we have every expectation that all of the leading Australian players will be back to participate at Royal Sydney in the 2008 Australian Open. "We think the Open's in good shape."