By Australian Golf Media

Australia’s greatest major champion, Karrie Webb, is confirmed to make her return to the iconic Vic Open from February 9-12.

A ground-breaking tournament that sees men and women play tournaments concurrently across the Beach and Creek courses at 13th Beach Golf Links, the Vic Open has become one of the marquee attractions on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and the WPGA Tour of Australasia schedules.

Men and women will each play for a $420,000 prize purse with Webb adding her considerable gravitas to the women’s event won by fellow major champion Hannah Green in 2022.

Along with confirmation that the seven-time major champion will play the Vic Open for the first time since 2020, 2022 Australian All Abilities champion Kipp Popert will also make his debut in the Vic Open.

“We are understandably thrilled to have players of the calibre of Karrie and Kipp commit to play in the 2023 Vic Open,” said Golf Australia General Manager of Events and Operations, Therese Magdulski.

“Since its move to a mixed-gender format in 2012, the Vic Open has proven to be extremely popular with both players and fans alike.

“Karrie’s record is without peer in Australian golf and I have no doubt that golf fans on the Bellarine Peninsula and throughout Greater Melbourne will flock to 13th Beach to watch one of our greats in the relaxed environment that the Vic Open has become famous for.”

A winner of 41 LPGA Tour titles and the Senior LPGA champion in 2022, Webb made her Vic Open debut in 2016 where she finished tied for 11th.

Magdulski also welcomed the inclusion of Popert, whose participation adds another dimension to the field.

Living with a form of Cerebral Palsy since birth, Popert created history by becoming the first player with a disability to qualify for The Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes last June.

Popert posted two-under 69 in the final round at Victoria Golf Club to win the Australian All Abilities Championship by seven strokes in December and will now step up to test his game against the best players on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

“Kipp ended 2022 No.1 on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability, emphasised by his tremendous come-from-behind win at the Australian All Abilities Championship at Victoria Golf Club,” said Magdulski.

“By entering into the men’s field of the Vic Open, Kipp is further highlighting that there are no limits to what golfers with a disability can achieve in the game.

“We can’t wait to see what he does at 13th Beach.”

The Vic Open is one of six Victorian events on the 2022/2023 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and WPGA Tour schedules, underpinning golf’s value to the Victorian economy.

In an extension of the partnership announced last November, the 2023 championship will mark the 10th consecutive hosting of the Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links at Barwon Heads. It is the first of a new two-year deal that will see the event return in 2024 for an 11th staging.

The 2023 Vic Open tees off at 13th Beach Golf Links on Thursday, February 9 with the two Vic Open champions, the Vic Inclusive and the Australian Wheelchair champions to be crowned on Sunday, February 12. It is proudly supported by the Victorian Government.