Tournament officials announced today that the 2019 Presidents Cup will be held on December 9-15, 2019, when it returns to the prestigious Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The return to Melbourne, Australia, will mark the third time in the biennial event’s 25-year history.

The Presidents Cup was previously held in Melbourne in 1998 and 2011, also at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club. No other international venue has hosted a Presidents Cup more than once.  Melbourne also holds the distinction as the site of the lone International Team’s victory in 1998, which saw Peter Thomson’s International Team defeat Jack Nicklaus’ U.S. Team, 20.5 to 11.5.  In 2011, Fred Couples led the U.S. Team to a 19-15 win over Greg Norman and the Internationals. The 1998 event was also held in December, a date that traditionally works well with other golf tournaments held in Australia.

Matt Kamienski, PGA TOUR Executive Director, said: “Australia has proved to be an incredible host for the Presidents Cup in the past, and we expect nothing short of the first-class hospitality and welcoming culture that our fans, players, their families, our guests and our staff have received in each of our previous two events in Melbourne.”

“We promise the 2019 edition will again showcase Melbourne to the world when the best players from around the globe come to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.”

The oldest golf club in Australia, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club was founded in 1891 and moved to its current location in 1926, becoming the anchor of what is now known as the Sandbelt. The gem of Australian golf, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club has two courses, both ranked in the World’s Top 100, which were designed by the legendary Alister MacKenzie. In 1959, in order to host the first of many international tournaments, 12 holes of the West Course and six from the East Course were combined to create what is known as the Composite Course, which also hosted the 2013 World Cup of Golf, won by Jason Day and Adam Scott.

The 2019 Presidents Cup will bring the very best for fans interested in world-class team competition with the top 12 players from the United States taking on the top 12 from across the globe, excluding Europe. While golf fans can expect an incredible atmosphere and unmatched access to the competition, the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne will be a social, lifestyle and business gathering that will bring all backgrounds and interests together to enjoy a week-long festival atmosphere. On the course, players from across the world will be celebrated for their achievements, sportsmanship and love of the game. Off the course, fans will be able to find culinary options from around the world as well as hospitality and fan venues to match all levels of spectating and socializing, all while enjoying the very best in Australian culture.

Minister for Tourism and Major Events John Eren, said: “No other city outside the United States has hosted the Presidents Cup more than once – it’s a badge we’ll wear with honour.”

“As we welcome thousands of golf fans to Melbourne, Australia, our city will be beamed into millions of homes around the globe – images that will inspire many to travel here and see for themselves what we have to offer.”

As the event visits the coastal capital of the Southeast Australian state of Victoria, those visiting can expect to find its sporting culture prominently on display. The city of Melbourne has a strong history of hosting major international sporting events including the 1956 Summer Olympics, 2006 Commonwealth Games, Formula One and the Grand Slam of tennis’ Australian Open. As a premier destination for golf enthusiasts in Australia and around the globe, Melbourne is well-positioned to stage another exhilarating chapter in Presidents Cup history.

The Presidents Cup offers the ultimate setting for business development and networking for local, national and international corporations, and numerous companies will use the event as an opportunity to entertain clients, CEOs and employees from around the world. The Presidents Cup will be attended by top business leaders affiliated with the TOUR, professional golf, travel and global business.

The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money.  Players are not paid for their participation, but each competitor allocates an equal portion of the funds generated to charities of his choice.  Since the event’s inception, more than $38.4 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, as well as contributions made on behalf of the Presidents Cup, including a record charitable donation of $6 million from the 2015 event alone.