Our first stop for the year is a tournament that is high on everyone’s favourites list – the ISPS HANDA Vic Open.

With four co-sanctioning partners, men and women playing on the same courses and some of the best in Victoria at that, it’s one of the most progressive and fun tournaments on the tour.

My tips didn’t quite pan out at the Australian PGA Championship but I’m determined to redeem myself this time. One from 10 has to be right at least!

So without further ado, here are the Tour Insider’s tips for the 2020 ISPS HANDA Vic Open…

MEN’S

JASON SCRIVENER
This one’s a bit of a no brainer. Scriv finished top five here last year and kick-started a great year after that. Both the Beach and Creek courses are set up for him perfectly and if he brings anything close to his A-game he will be a great chance.

CONNOR SYME
This former Australian Amateur was raised in the testing conditions of Scotland so the wind at 13th Beach will be calm compared to back home. Syme has had some nice results to start the year and this venue couldn’t be more suited to him. I’m expecting big things and no doubt a bit of support from his management company’s founder Niall Horan will getting him moving in one direction… or at least the right one.

BEN ECCLES
Ben Eccles plays the majority of his golf just down the road at the Sands Torquay Golf Club so you would be hard-pressed to find a player with more rounds under his belt at 13th Beach. If you blindfolded him my bet is that he could still find the fairways and for this reason I’m all over him.

TRAVIS SMYTH
Trav started the year off really well in Hong Kong and Singapore with top-15 finishes and I’m expecting him to continue that form. He has all the shots in the book and is starting to show the potential we all see in him. And after a narrow miss in a down to the wire finish at last year’s NSW Open he knows what it takes to contend when things get heated. Watch out for his name at the top of the leaderboard.

HIDETO TANIHARA
A 14-time winner that hasn’t quite been playing his best but I just can’t let the class of Hideto Tanihara go unnoticed. He’s clearly willing to travel to play some tournaments and you don’t come all this way to not compete. Maybe The Vic Open is number 15.

WOMEN’S

SU OH
After a T2 finish at the Vic Open in 2019 Su’s record at this event speaks for itself. Following on from a solid end to the year on the LPGA Tour I just think she is primed for another good week. Of the Aussie women she is the one that I like the most for all the challenges that 13th Beach throws.

INBEE PARK
What a superstar of the game and amazing addition to the Vic Open field. Inbee’s resume speaks for itself but a Vic Open title is still missing from the highlight reel. Her game is top-notch and as such I’m tipping she’ll be hard to catch this week.

HANNAH GREEN
She became a Major champion, a LPGA Tour winner and a Greg Norman Medal winner all in 2019. What will happen in 2020? The sky is the limit for this girl!

JIYAI SHIN
Jiyai Shin is a 57 time winner around the world. Yes you read that right, 57! There’s no way she wasn’t going to feature on my Vic Open list. She might be edging towards the older end of the field now but she has more than enough game to spoil the young ladies’ party.

MINJEE LEE
Minjee is a previous winner here and a multiple winner on the LPGA Tour. But more importantly, this week is the sibling rivalry between her and her brother Min Woo Lee who will be battling it out for family supremacy. Can’t wait to see how this plays out!