Photo: LPGA

Premier Daniel Andrews today presented the winners’ trophies at 13th Beach to champions Celine Boutier and David Law after a week of world-class golf.

Record prize money, joint sanctioning by the LPGA Tour, ALPG, European Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia as well as support from the Andrews Labor Government will ensure the Vic Open stays on the Bellarine Peninsula until 2022.

As Australia’s only joint men’s and women’s professional golf tournament – and the only tournament in the world where men and women play simultaneously on the same course, for equal prize money, the Vic Open sets a standard for other competitions to follow.

For the first time, the event was broadcast on ABC and Fox Sports Australia on all four days and reached over 750 million households in 162 countries through the Golf Channel and Sky Sports, putting the Bellarine Peninsula on the world stage.

The tournament is one of Geelong and the Bellarine’s largest annual events, providing a massive boost to local tourism operators, jobs and businesses.

More than 300,000 Victorians play golf at over 350 courses across the state, supporting 6,900 jobs and contributing $883.6 million to the state’s economy.