Jordan Spieth has already pencilled the 2017 Australian Open in his diary as he looks to continue etching his name on the Stonehaven Cup.
Spieth became the 10th dual winner in history with his victory in a thrilling three-man sudden-death playoff at Royal Sydney on Sunday.
By draining a four-metre birdie putt on the first extra hole to deny Ashley Hall and Cameron Smith, the world No.5 joined Aaron Baddeley, Robert Allenby, Peter Senior, Greg Chalmers, Peter Lonard and Frank Phillips to land the famous trophy twice.
But Spieth was humbled upon learning that legends Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player won the Australian Open six and seven times when it was regarded as golf's unofficial fifth major in the 1960s and 70s.
"I feel pretty poorly about two, if those guys have done it so much," he said.
So after returning to Sydney for a third straight year despite cutting back his 2016, Spieth has every intention of coming back to defend his crown when the Open moves back to The Australian, the scene of Spieth's first triumph in 2014.
"We love coming here," said the two-time major champion.
"Certainly plan on it (in 2017). It's hard to tell a year from now. But how can you argue with coming here and gaining the confidence that we've had out of this event?
"I've cut out a lot of overseas travel this year, but we still came here because that's how important this event is to us."
Spieth's star presence, along with the likes of fellow world No.1s Rory McIlroy and Scott helping flood the fairways with spectators in recent years, has reinvigorated the Australian Open.
Organisers are sure to show Spieth the money again in 2017 to seal the deal.
If he does return, the 23-year-old will be bidding to emulate the threepeats of Norman Von Nida and Carnegie Clark.
Ossie Pickworth won the Open four times, and Greg Norman and Ivo Whitton had their names engraved on the trophy five times each.
MULTIPLE AUSTRALIAN OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONS
7: Gary Player
6: Jack Nicklaus
5: Greg Norman, Ivo Whitton
4: Ossie Pickworth
3: Norman Von Nida, Carnegie Clark
2: Jordan Spieth, Aaron Baddeley, Robert Allenby, Peter Senior, Greg Chalmers, Peter Lonard, Frank Phillips, Jim Ferrier, Fred Popplewell, Michael Scott
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