Returning Australian Open champion Joaquin Niemann has lashed out at rules which prevent both he and Aussie Cameron Smith from playing in the upcoming Presidents Cup.

The Chilean star also said that the Australian Open deserved to be treated like one of the biggest tournaments in world golf, as he confirmed that he will return to defend his title that he won in Sydney last year.

Both Niemann and South African Ashley Buhai, who won the women's crown for the second year in a row, will play in the 2024 tournament at Kingston Heath and Victoria Golf clubs from November 28 to December 1.

A litany of Australian stars including Smith, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Cam Davis, Marc Leishman, Minjee Lee, Hannah Green and Steph Kyriacou are also expected to play in the combined event.

As a LIV golf player though, Niemann is blocked from being part of the Internationals team that will take on the Americans in the Presidents Cup at the end of the month at Royal Montreal in Canada.

While LIV golfers can play in the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup is run by the PGA Tour which still blocks their involvement.

Niemann and Smith will have been near certain selections by Internationals captain Mike Weir but have been locked out for the second Presidents Cup in a row.

"It sucks. I would love to be on that team. It's supposed to be the best golfers around the world and they're not doing that right now," Niemann said.

"I do believe we (the Internationals) have a strong team, but it could be an even stronger team. I'd love to see the Americans lose," he added.

There will be three Australians on the team in Scott – for a remarkable 11th time, Day and Lee who will make his Presidents Cup debut.

Along with the likes Hideki Masuyama, Tom Kim and Sungjae Im there is enough talent in the team to push the star-studded Americans, who have won the last nine editions of the event and only lost it once – way back in 1998 at Royal Melbourne.

And it will be the spectacular Melbourne Sandbelt that will present the chance for Niemann to be the first player to defend an Australian Open title since Peter Lonard 20 years ago.

Amid the fracturing at the professional level of golf and the impasse over merger talks between the PGA Tour and Saudi fund that backs the LIV tour, the calls have grown louder for a world tour program to be in place in the future.

And for the Australian Open to be a key part of that. It's a sentiment, Niemann shares strongly.

"I feel like a good golf tournament has to have a great golf course and Australia is always the leader in that and a great crowd and they're always the leader in that as well," the South American said.

"Obviously you can't say it's a major, but if you look around, I mean you got the US Open, then you've got the British Open, I don't think there is any other Open in any other country that come close to it (The Australian Open).

"And I think it's because of how powerful golf is in Australia, you have this amazing program. I remember being a junior golfer and always seeing Australia as being the hardest team to beat," he added.

In the women's event, Buhai will be trying to make history in Melbourne as the first player to win the women's trophy for a third successive year.

The South African says her affinity with Australia and its golf courses started a long time ago.

"I've been going there since I was 12 years old so there's a familiarity. South Africans and Australians we have a lot in common with sport, food, weather," she said.

"And the golf courses are unbelievable, especially on the Sandbelt. I think it suits my game, you have to be creative, you have to flight the ball and be smart."