By Brendan James at Victoria Golf Club

The ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open returns to Melbourne’s Victoria Golf Club for the first time in 38 years when the 2014 version tees off tomorrow.

The famous Sandbelt club hosted the inaugural championship ­– then held over 54 holes – in 1974, and was won by the impressive Japanese player, Hisako ‘Chako’ Higuchi. It was a victory that added to an impressive resume of 72 worldwide victories, including the 1977 LPGA Championship.

Victoria was again host in 1976 when American Donna Caponi, already a two-time US Open Champion, fired 13 under for three rounds to collect the lion’s share of the $15,000 prizemoney. Caponi, now 69, finished her career with four majors and 29 professional wins, which saw her inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.

On the 40th anniversary of the first Women’s Australian Open, it is a shame that Higuchi or Caponi are not here to celebrate at Victoria Golf Club this week.

If they were they might have trouble recognising the layout from what it was in the mid-1970s. Much of the overgrown areas of the layout are gone, replaced by vast areas of sandy wasteland, which were exposed during a redesign by Mike Clayton that started more than a decade ago.

What hasn’t changed is the quality of the layout, if anything it’s a better test now than it has ever been. So, as Victoria did with the championships won by Higuchi and Caponi all those years ago, it will separate the contenders from the pretenders over the next four days.

Five of the world’s Top-10 female players – Suzann Pettersen (Norway, No.2), Stacy Lewis (US, No.3), Lydia Ko (NZ, No.4), Karrie Webb (No.8) and Lexi Thompson (US, No.9) – are at Victoria this week. There is also a highly credentialed support cast led by Scot Catriona Matthew (No.11), American duo Paula Creamer (No.13) and Jessica Korda, the 2012 champion, and last week’s Ladies Masters winner Cheyenne Woods.

Karrie Webb will be keen to put the disappointing disqualification at the Ladies Masters behind her with a strong showing this week. PHOTO: Getty Images

The notable omission, among the missing contingent of top South Koreans, is Jiyai Shin – the reigning champion and World No.16. Shin has resigned her ALPG membership to play more on the Japanese Ladies Tour so she can head home to Seoul regularly for family reasons.

Heading into the first round, this is what some of the leading players have had to say about their chances and the Victoria course.

KARRIE WEBB (QLD)

The course: “I think definitely driving is key around here, but I think, depending on if the greens get any faster or any firmer, I think your shot into the green's going to be important because if the greens get faster you're probably not going to want to be above the hole.”

Her game: “I probably feel a little more under done than I would have if I'd play four rounds last week, but that's just the way it is. My preparation this week has gone quite well, so I feel quite comfortable around here. If I can just keep that sort of level up that I've had the last two days it should feel pretty good out there.”

Our tip: Can finish top-10 and can possibly contend Sunday afternoon if the putter works this eek.

STACY LEWIS (US)

The course: “It's a really good course. It's really similar style-wise to Royal Melbourne. This one I think you've got to be really – it's a lot of placement golf, not so much off the tees but a lot into the greens, it's just hitting it into the right spots. Being below the hole is going to be key this week – and staying out of the bunkers.

“The bunkers I think are the worst and the hardest part of this golf course. So for me it's just going to be playing smart golf and hopefully making a few putts here and there.

“It's a hard course, it's not easy. I don't think anybody's going to go crazy low on it, especially if it stays hot and gets firmer and faster throughout the week. I think any golf course where you have to think your way around is to my advantage. I like that.

Minimise the high numbers and you can do well at Victoria, says Stacy Lewis. PHOTO: Getty Images

“I think you're going to have to play away from the hole sometimes and maybe have a 10-footer instead of going right at it, especially even chip shots you might have to.

“I think the person that minimises making big numbers this week is the one that's going to be there at the end.”

Her game: “I'm excited. I'm excited to get playing. This whole off season I've just wanted to play really because my game's in such a good place that I just need to get out on the course and start hitting some shots.

“We had two weeks off, which was nice to kind of evaluate some things and rework on some things a little bit, but you know, I'm ready to go.”

Our tip: If Stacy Lewis can harness her excitement to get going and remain patient she will be in the top-three come Sunday afternoon.

LYDIA KO (NZ)

The course: “I played here a couple of years ago for the Australian Amateur but the course is definitely playing much different, especially in length. It's definitely different but I had a couple of rounds here, that's what practice rounds are for, you kind of get used to the course.

“This course to me, I think you've got to drive it well to score well and obviously you've got to get the putts rolling as well, but just playing consistently and I think that will bring good results.”

Her game: “I played really well at the New Zealand Open and I played well in Bahamas, so hopefully that will build on my confidence.

“Playing well definitely helps with that transition [to a new coach] and I've been getting much more confidence. If I didn't play as good I don't think I would be as confident in the swing and in the clubs, but definitely playing well is where you need to be.

Lydia Ko finished second at the New Zealand Open in her last start. PHOTO: Getty Images

“The club feels great in my hand and the swing part, we’re not making huge changes, so it's' not like I've got a whole new swing, it's little things.”

Our tip: Has already proven she is a smart player and this is a smart player’s golf course. Went close last year and will do similar again. I reckon she will be last group on Sunday.

SUZANN PETTERSEN (Norway)

The course: “I played 18 holes yesterday. It reminds me very much about the other courses in this area, Royal Melbourne, I played a couple of years ago, I played Yarra Yarra way back, one of my first years on tour.

“But it's typical links course. It's not the type of course that I've seen pretty much since the British, so it's a little bit unusual. I play more of traditional or American courses over the last two or three months. So you've got to adjust accordingly and hopefully there'll be a kind of kick start that gives us a nice challenge earlier on in the year.

“I think this is a course where the wind kind of brings the character to the course as well. So I hope it's not horrendous conditions like it was on Sunday, when it was blowing 40 miles per hour; that was tough, I was out here [LAUGHS]. I don't think it was playable on certain holes.”

Her game: “It's been a good off season for me, I've been doing a lot of training, kept myself busy and I feel like I'm very eager to start competing again.

“I'll see what the different days bring. I'll just try to get into a good start and just try and find a good rhythm straight off the bat and see what the week brings.”

Our tip: Has already played the course three times in varying conditions this week. Has taken a crash course and easily has the length to tame some holes but I’m not convinced this is the type of course that best suits her.

CHEYENNE WOODS (US)

The course: “The course is beautiful, it's in great shape. It's really interesting; you definitely have to place the ball pretty well this week. So I'm looking forward to it.”

Her game: “Not a whole lot of pressure [after her win]. I know there are a lot of people watching me, a lot more than normal but it does feel completely different from last week. Last week I was going into the tournament after missing a cut completely and then to win and now coming into this week, after playing so well, it feels really good.

Fresh off her Ladies Masters win, Cheyenne Woods will face stronger competition this week. PHOTO: Getty Images

“So I will try my best to play one day at a time and just focus on the one shot but it feels good that I was able to play well last week and hopefully that will carry over to this week.

“I think I've learned a lot in this past week, probably more than I've learned last year.  Mentally I learned a lot.  Mentally l learned what I'm capable of.  I have had the lead in a professional event before but I completely blew it the next day, so for me to be able to have the lead for two consecutive days and follow through and be confident and calm throughout the entire round was really big for me.”

Our tip: If form is a guide, Woods can certainly finish top-10 in a much stronger field this week but will be long odds to take out the Patricia Bridges Bowl.

JESSICA KORDA (US)

The course: “It's in really good shape.  The greens are rolling really nice and I'm just really happy to be back on a golf course that I've seen before. I stayed here in Melbourne (last year) and played here, the Royal and Metropolitan.

“The good thing about here is that even if you can't stop it on the green, you can still kind of run it up there, run it close or definitely having good yardages this week is going to be very important and picking the right clubs and the right shots. Sometimes you're going to have to take a lower trajectory and run it in there.

“Sometimes you're going to try and hit it high into the wind and kind of stop it on the green.

“Honestly, it really just depends on the weather, how tough the golf course is going to play.

Her game: “I played really well (last week), I hit a lot of good shots, just a lot of putts didn't drop, which was tough and the greens were a little bit bouncy.  They're actually tearing the golf course up today or yesterday, yesterday and today they're ripping it all up, so it will be interesting to see what it looks like next year.

“I felt like I played really well, just a couple of odd bounces here and there.

Jessica Korda has already won this year and is back on the Sandbelt which she loves. That makes her our pick for the event. PHOTO: Getty Images

[On her swing changes]…”…it's changing my swing plane actually. I was very steep coming towards the ball and my hands were dropping behind me, which was putting a lot of pressure on my wrists and on my shoulders especially coming into different types of grasses. It was really tough on my body and we're just changing the swing plane and making my posture better, change my grip. So I mean there was basically just strip the whole game and build it back up from Ground Zero.”

Our tip: She loves Melbourne and, in particular, the Sandbelt. She won this event in 2012 and was a winner in the Bahamas a few weeks back. If there is one player with the length, patience and Sandbelt experience in this field it is Korda. I think she will win this week but it will be a close finish, ahead of Ko and Lewis.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “They're quite annoying but everyone has to deal with them so I'll just have to suck it up and get over it.”

– Cheyenne Woods on the large number of flies, not media, she had to deal with during her practice round.