The 2023 event – to be played at The Lakes and The Australian Golf Clubs from Thursday – puts an entirely different set of skills under the microscope compared to last year’s shot-shaping examination on Melbourne’s Sandbelt. This year, ball-striking and length will be crucial.

Meronk is starting to gain a reputation at national open championships for being the man to beat; the Pole has claimed the Irish and Italian Open and is now one of the favourites to defend his Australian crown, which he has fond memories of claiming in 2022.

“It was an amazing win for me, a great start of the new season last year. I had my girlfriend and her family with me as well, so it was a very special week for me,” Meronk said on tournament eve.

“I really enjoyed it, especially playing with my childhood hero Adam Scott on Sunday.

"It wasn’t easy, to be honest (the crowd's support for Adam Scott). Everyone was against me except for five people, maybe. I learnt a lot from that victory.”

Accompanying his 2022 Australian Open win to kick off the DP World Tour season, the 30-year-old added two more DP World Tour trophies to his growing collection, the previously mentioned Italian Open and the Andalucia Masters in Spain, seeing him finish high enough on the Race to Dubai standings to gain a PGA Tour card for next season.

England's Kipp Popert knows a thing or two about defending titles. PHOTO: Getty Images.

Buhai had a sensational 2022, to say the least, claiming four titles, including the AIG Women’s Open.

“It was the best 12 months of my career running from August through to this year, to win four times worldwide.”

“My goal was to win on the LPGA Tour in the U.S, and I managed to tick that off.”

The South African went from being in the form of her life to struggling with injury throughout the back end of the year but feels as if the course suits her and is excited to get her title defence underway.

“The end of the season has been a bit rough for me; I was dealing with an injury, I had to take five weeks off. Went to Asia, got sick,” Buhai said.

“So not the end of the season I was hoping for, but I’m happy with the way I’m swinging it, and hopefully get the putter hot.”

“These courses really suit my eye, and I’m really looking forward to the week.”

Australian All Abilities Champion Kipp Popert came from nowhere to claim the title last year, erasing a 10-shot deficit to triumph over Canadian Kurtis Barkley.

“It was an awesome experience. I didn’t actually know I was ten behind at one point, but I like chasing the lead,” Popert said.

The Englishman also knows a thing or two about title defences, defending his British Masters and BMW PGA Championship crowns on the G4D Tour this year.

He has a unique perspective as well. The pressure of defending an elusive title seems immense, but for Popert, the secret is simply putting no pressure on himself.

“I don’t really put too much pressure on myself. I think if I defend, it’s an awesome achievement, but it’s a new tournament, it’s a new year,” the World No.1 said.

“To get through operations growing up, I would wake up and press on every day, do my stretches, do my golf, that’s just what I do every day; so, I guess it works quite well.”