Keegan Bradley will contest the 2018 Emirates Australian Open.

The popular American, the 2011 US PGA Championship winner and four times a winner on the US PGA Tour, has confirmed he will play at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney from 15-18 November.

"I’ve heard a lot about the Aussie Open and all the historic names on the Stonehaven Cup. I can’t wait to have a shot at putting my name on it," the dual Ryder Cup player said.

"And to come to Sydney at that time of year is something I’m also really looking forward to, it’s a big bucket list thing for me to tick off."

Bradley, 32, roared back to his best this season with a win in the BMW Championship, the third leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs taking him back to No.31 in the world.

Joining Bradley in making their Open debuts are two more genuine contenders for the 103rd staging of the Open, three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele and rising Mexican star Abraham Ancer.

Steele, 35, has won in each of the past two PGA Tour seasons, both times at the Safeway Open on top of his Valero Texas Open victory in 2011.

Ancer, 27, was twice in the top five on this year’s PGA Tour and came within minutes of a huge breakthrough win in the FedEx Cup playoffs, leading until the closing holes of the Dell Technologies Championship in Boston last month.

The trio joins American stars Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker as confirmed starters at The Lakes.

Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt was delighted to welcome all three newcomers to the race for the Stonehaven Cup.

"Everyone knows how entertaining and effervescent Keegan is around the crowds and we’re really thrilled that he, Brendan and Abraham will be in Sydney for the first time," Pitt said.

"With the other Americans and hopefully a host of our emerging young talent, the field is really starting to build nicely.

"The Open is always a great sporting and social week and I encourage people to book their tickets early to ensure they won’t miss the action."

Tickets are on sale at Ticketek at www.ticketek.com

The Emirates Australian Open is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

The Emirates Australian Open is a flagship tournament on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia. The winner will receive a minimum of 32 Official World Golf Ranking points.