Melbourne, Australia: Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland believes the appearance of Rory McIlroy in the next two editions of the Australian Open will elevate the championship to new heights.
Speaking in the wake of the announcement that five-time Major champion McIlroy will compete at Royal Melbourne this year and Kingston Heath Golf Club in 2026, Sutherland also praised the Victorian Government for its support.
He said: “The Victorian Government truly understands the value that golf brings to the local economy. We appreciate their on-going support and we look forward to partnering with them again as we host this year’s men’s Australian Open.
“Rory McIlroy, one of the best to ever play our game, playing on the world-renowned Melbourne Sandbelt, is a mouth-watering proposition for golf fans.
“We are committed to elevating the status of our national championship, and this announcement is a significant step in that direction.”
McIlroy’s return to Australia comes off the back of his historic win at last month’s Masters Tournament to complete the career Grand Slam.
Thanks to the renewed partnership with the Victorian Government and Visit Victoria, the Melbourne Sandbelt will be the home of the men’s Australian Open until at least 2026.
McIlroy’s first attempt to claim a second Stonehaven Cup will be across the Composite Course of Royal Melbourne from December 4-7, which comprises holes from both the West and East courses and is rated among the top golf courses in the world.
The last time the 35-year-old appeared at the Australian Open was in 2014 when McIlroy defended the Stonehaven Cup the year after he went head-to-head with Adam Scott in 2013 to eventually be crowned champion.
McIlroy said: “I’m proud to be committing to the Australian Open for the next two years, especially with it being played on the world-class Melbourne Sandbelt, somewhere I’ve always wanted to play professionally.
“The success of the Australian Open is important for the global game, and I’m incredibly confident it will thrive again this year, especially with it being staged in one of the world’s great sporting cities and on two of the finest golf courses in the world over the next two years: The Royal Melbourne Golf Club and Kingston Heath Golf Club.
“Melbourne is known for being one of the world’s great sporting cities and I can’t wait to be part of that atmosphere and soak in everything it has to offer, both on and off the course.”
A host to the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship on two occasions, multiple Presidents Cups and countless other important events, Royal Melbourne will stage the men’s Australian Open for the 17th time. It will mark the first men’s Australian Open at the venue since 1991.
Tony Rule, Captain of The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, said: “We are looking forward to hosting the 2025 men’s Australian Open Championship at our world-class venue.
“Royal Melbourne has a long history of providing a supreme test of golf to the world’s best players. We eagerly await the opportunity to watch Rory McIlroy take on the challenge of mastering the Composite Course at Royal Melbourne.”
The men’s Australian Open will follow the BMW Australian PGA Championship, with both events again co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia which owns and operates the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, said the move to a standalone men’s event on the Melbourne Sandbelt and the confirmation of McIlroy will help elevate the men’s Australian Open on the global golf calendar.
Kirkman said: “At a course where so many historic tournaments have been played, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club is the perfect stage to showcase the wonderful home-grown talent and the best international golfers like Rory, who we are so proud to welcome back to Australia for the first time since 2014.
“With two weeks of DP World Tour co-sanctioned events, the best players from the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia can also put their game to the ultimate test against the world’s best and etch their name into the history books.”
Steve Dimopoulos, Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, said: “These tournaments will be fantastic for our visitor economy, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and cafes and showcasing our state to millions more following on from overseas.
“Rory is one of the greatest golfers in history and his desire to play in the Australian Open is a major coup, highlighting just how brilliant our Sandbelt courses are and why Melbourne is one of the great golfing cities of the world.”
Now a well-established presence as part of the Australian summer of golf, the DP World Tour expects a quality field to join The Masters Champion in Melbourne during the early stages of its 2026 season.
“Starting our Race to Dubai in recent years with back-to-back events in Australia has been popular with our members and we are excited to return to the world class Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the first time on the DP World Tour since 2005,” DP World Tour Chief Tournament & Operations Officer Ben Cowen said.
“Our thanks go to the Victorian Government and Visit Victoria for their continued support of this great national Open.
“We are equally looking forward to seeing Rory McIlroy tee it up in Australia once again, giving fans in the southern hemisphere the opportunity to see our most recent Major champion up close. As a six-time Race to Dubai winner and golf’s latest Grand Slam champion, Rory is a prominent ambassador of global golf. We’re sure he’ll enjoy his experiences on the Melbourne Sandbelt this year and next.”
