Geoff Ogilvy won his first Stonehaven Cup by four shots from Matt Jones at The Lakes last year (AFP)
Highly-rated Americans Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson will join defending champion Geoff Ogilvy at the Aus$1.5 million ($1.6 million) Australian Open in November, according to organisers.
Highly-rated Americans Bubba Watson and Dustin Johnson will join defending champion Geoff Ogilvy at the Aus$1.5 million ($1.6 million) Australian Open in November, according to organisers.
Greg Norman and Fred Couples will also compete at the Sydney November 10-13 event, ahead of the President's Cup the following week where they be will rival captains of the Internationals and the United States teams.
World number 11 Watson last played at the Australian Open in 2005 while world number 13 Johnson is making his first Open appearance at The Lakes course.
Australia's Ogilvy won his first Stonehaven Cup by four shots from Matt Jones at The Lakes last year.
Norman, a five-time winner of the Australian Open, returns to The Lakes with his rival US captain Couples as the pair complete their preparations for the November 17-20 President's Cup.
Golf Australia CEO Stephen Pitt said he expected to make further announcements of top golfers heading for the Australian Open.
"There is the potential for this to be one of the most impressive Australian Open fields in a long time and we've got ongoing interest from many of the world's best players to play and we are looking forward to making further announcements," Pitt said.
The Australian Open, first played in 1904, will be co-sanctioned by OneAsia and the PGA Tour of Australasia.
© 2011 AFP/sid
