Ancer to defend the crown in Sydney

Abraham Ancer is back to defend his #AusOpenGolf, with Mike Weir, KJ Choi and Geoff Ogilvy appearing for the Presidential Cup

The champion is here.

The Emirates Australian Open champion 2018, Abraham Ancer, will defend his crown next month at The Australian Golf Club.

Ancer, who delighted the crowd in Sydney last year to become the first Mexican winner of the Stonehaven Cup, used his win to start an attack in the top 50 of the world and then his first Presidential Cup team.

"Sydney is such an important place for me with so many good memories from last year and the doors it helped open," said Ancer, who then went on to work with Roberto Diaz the following week, while Mexico became second at the Melbourne World Cup of Golf.

"I can't wait to go back to Down Under and play for the fans that were so supportive and see if we can recreate a bit of that Stonehaven magic with such a great field that will go to Sydney in December coming."

That field – already stacked with names such as Scott, Day, Leishman, Smith, Oosthuizen, Garcia, Casey, Pan and Els among others already confirmed – will be further strengthened with a few other greats of global golf for the championship of 5-8 December.

Because Captain Ernie Els brings as much of his international team as possible together for next week's Presidential Cup, several of his assistants will take part in the chase for the 104th Australian Open.

In addition to former champion Geoff Ogilvy, the ever-popular K.J. Choi and former Masters hero Mike Weir will all be watching their charges from the powerhouse field.

Stephen Pitt, CEO of Golf Australia, was delighted by all the additions, but especially by the signature of Ancer.

"Abraham, like Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth before him, played some golf in Australia last year that not only opened our eyes to his immense talents, but also drove him up the world golf ladder," Pitt said.

"The recordings he played in some test conditions last year were of the next level – and that is exactly where his world ranking went.

"He was very popular with the public and had generous contact with them, so we can't wait to have him back on our coast.

"Geoff has made no secret of his love for the Stonehaven Cup and has been one of our most avid supporters over the years, so it's good to have him back in the swing.

“But about K.J. and Mike alongside him is something that I am sure all fans attending The Australian will really love … they both achieved so much in the game. "

The Emirates Australian Open is supported by the NSW government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.

The tournament, organized by the Australian for a record 21st time, is exclusively broadcast live every day on the screens of Channel 7 and 7Plus from noon (AEDT).

The Emirates Australian Open is a flagship tournament on the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia. The winner will receive a minimum of 32 official World Golf Ranking points.

Tickets are now for sale. Go to www.ticketek.com and search for "Open golf" to make sure you don't miss seeing the best golfers in the world live in Sydney.