The leading Australian pair join five-time major winner Rory McIlroy in headlining the event, which starts on Thursday. 

Smith, in particular, had been highly critical of Australian golf's showpiece, which for the past three years had been a dual-gender tournament, last year describing the soft course set-up as "bullshit".

Former world No. 1 Scott opted to sit out last year's Open for the first time since 2018, citing fatigue, but he was also unhappy with the format and structure.

While Golf Australia (GA) claimed it made the most sense commercially, the women, including top-ranked local Minjee Lee, also didn't benefit, arriving jet-lagged after the LPGA season-ending event in America and playing in a reduced field.

Former British Open champion Smith said he had spoken with GA boss James Sutherland about reverting to the traditional format, and was pleased with the outcome. 

"There was a lot of back-and-forth throughout the last couple of years, and I think everyone's pretty happy with the result," said the LIV Golf ace, who has struggled for form this year.

"Everyone's talking about the Aussie Open again, which is what we wanted. 

"We wanted it back at Royal Melbourne, and we wanted it to be an event where international stars come down and compete and make it the event that it once was, so I think we're on the right track."

Smith is yet to win the Australian Open, but has declared it second only to the Masters as his must-win events.

"It's a tournament that I desperately want to win, and then you get the course vibe with it as well,'' he said.

"It'd be a pretty special thing to win an Aussie Open around Royal Melbourne for sure."

Scott said the tournament, which also offers the winner a Masters invite and the top three British Open starts, had been a talking point among players this year.

"It probably is more appealing, certainly for international players, to come down to play,'' he said.

"Obviously, Rory is on board, and he's coming off the back of an incredible year, so that's very timely for the event, and coming to this venue is creating a lot of hype as well.

"Certainly outside Australia, it's been a talking point on tour most of the year, and you'll see some players who have obviously asked for invites and are coming down to play. 

"You have to give Golf Australia credit for doing what they can with the event and doing something different, but also I give them credit for pivoting and making this big move and making a huge effort to get one of the greatest players of this generation, if not the greatest, down here.

"Hopefully this is a sign of things to come to the Aussie Open and living up to the history that it already has."

Scott claimed the 2009 Open at NSW Golf Club, but says winning the national title at Royal Melbourne, which last hosted the tournament in 1991, would be a "feather in the cap" for any golfer.

"I think winning the Aussie Open at Royal Melbourne has one of those asterisks next to it, where it's just that little bit more meaningful," said the 45-year-old, who finished seventh at last week's PGA Championship in Brisbane.

"Just the fact we haven't played a national open here since 1991 is going to make this a really special one for every Aussie golfer, but I think also for anyone who's here, if they were to win it, it's kind of a feather in the cap. It's something to be incredibly proud of."