The multi-award winning Bonville Golf Resort will be the home of the Australian Ladies Classic – Bonville, in 2018 and for the following four years. In addition, the NSW Women’s Open will return to the ALPG calendar for the first time since 2015 and will be played at nearby Coffs Harbour Golf Club week after the Classic.

Bonville is ranked in Australia’s Top-100 Courses and was voted the nation’s favourite course by Golf Australia Magazine readers in 2016. Coffs Harbour GC is widely regarded as one of the best courses in regional NSW.

The beautiful Bonville course will be home to the Australian Ladies Classic for the next five years. PHOTO: Supplied.

Both events, to be co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour, are expected to attract a host of quality international and local players. England’s Dame Laura Davies, LPGA Tour players Sarah Kemp and Rebecca Artis as well as former Australian World Cup representative Nikki Garrett are all confirmed starters.

The Bonville event will mark Garrett’s return to tournament golf following the birth of her first child.

“The announcement of two more tournaments on the ALPG schedule is great news,” Garrett said.

“As the mother of a toddler, it is exciting to know that I will once again be able to compete on the professional stage in my home state and also be able to show other mums that you can still take part in sport at the highest level.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro – alongside the Member for Coffs Harbour Andrew Fraser, Golf NSW CEO Stuart Fraser and ALPG CEO Karen Lunn –announced the two Coffs Harbour events saying they would boost tourism to the Coffs Coast. 

“This is a fantastic announcement not only for Coffs Harbour but for all of regional NSW,” Barilaro said at the launch of the two tournaments at Bonville Golf Resort this morning.

“Major sporting events like the two international women’s golf tournaments we’ve announced today play a huge role in boosting tourism in regional towns.

“Over the next five years, more than 16,000 domestic and international visitors are expected to travel to these events, injecting approximately $8 million into the NSW visitor economy.”

Golf NSW Chief Executive Officer Stuart Fraser said he was thrilled to have partnered with the NSW Government to bring two high quality women’s events to Coffs Harbour.

“Fans will see a number of the world’s best female athletes competing in the Australian Ladies Classic at one of the nation’s best golf courses in Bonville, and then the following week the great golf will continue at the Women’s NSW Open at Coffs Harbour Golf Club,” he said.

Lunn said both events would attract some of the best Australian and international golfers.

“Coffs Harbour is one of the most beautiful places you could wish to visit and both Bonville and Coffs Harbour Golf Clubs are fantastic venues,” Lunn said.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to Golf NSW and the NSW Government for making this possible. We are very much looking forward to these tournaments in 2018 and to welcoming our interstate and international players to Coffs Harbour for two fantastic weeks of golf.”

The Australian Ladies Classic Bonville will be played from February 22 to 25 – the week after the Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide – while the Women’s NSW Open will be played from March 1 to 4.