Royal Melbourne As An Open Venue
With the R&A confirming 2028's date change to accommodate L.A.'s Olympic Games, why not consider an even bolder move in 2032?
You may recall that the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles were destined to squeeze The Open out of its traditional date. The Quad’s prediction of a post-Games playing was confirmed with the announcement. However, the venues for all three “will be confirmed in due course,” according to the R&A.
The 2028 dates are as follows:
The 156th Open will be held from July 30th to August 6th, 2028.
The ISPS HANDA Senior Open will be held from August 7-13th, 2028.
The AIG Women’s Open will be held from August 14-20th, 2028.
“We appreciate the constructive discussions we have had with all of the stakeholders and believe that providing clarity on the dates now will assist with the planning of the global golf calendar in 2028,” R&A Chief Executive Mark Darbon said. “We can also confirm that The Open will be returning to its normal mid-July dates in 2029.”
What about the summer of 2032?
Never too early to start planning!
The Quad respectfully nominates Royal Melbourne for your consideration.
The 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Australia, are scheduled for July 23rd to August 8th. Should the 160th Open be contested in its traditional mid-July date and finish on Sunday, July 18th, that leaves only 10 days between the final round and the Opening Ceremony.
Given the travel required and the need to have space between significant championships, the R&A will be facing a similar set of questions. Playing The Open earlier gets too close to the U.S. Open and likely conflicts with Wimbledon.
There is also a key difference between 2028 and 2032: getting to Australia from the UK is much more difficult and a multi-day journey. Going from the hellscape that is Los Angeles International to the equally agonizing Heathrow involves a 10-or-so-hour direct flight, followed by the short journey to wherever the 2028 Open is played.
Assuming golf is still in the Games by 2032 and the Five Families continue to prioritize sending athletes to Brisbane in a proper frame of mind, the same clogged summer sports schedule issues will return for the R&A.
So why not play the Open Championship at Royal Melbourne after the Games? Or the AIG Women’s Open?
Oh, but you say, the world’s oldest championship has always been played on a United Kingdom links.
Such precedent is about to be chucked out the window with an all-but-certain Open Championship in Ireland at Portmarnock within the next seven years. And rumblings of late suggest the first Open outside the United Kingdom could come within five years.
What about the issue of contesting The Open on something other than a pure links course?
As we saw during last week’s triumphant Crown Australian Open, Royal Melbourne plays more like a genuine links than several recent wet and over-irrigated Open venues.
Most Open courses are now more lush than RMGC will ever be.
