Masters champ Rory McIlroy to play Australian Open in Melbourne

In one of Australia’s biggest recent sporting coups, Australian Open officials have signed Rory McIlroy to play the next two years.

Golf Australia officials feared Rory McIlroy’s Masters breakthrough could have undone years of talks about luring him back to the Australian Open and made him “unattainable”.

But a lingering desire to play tournament golf on the Melbourne sandbelt for the first time was enough for McIlroy to stay “true to his word”.

The world No.2 will play the 2025 Australian Open at Royal Melbourne from December 4 and then back up in 2026 at Kingston Heath in a major coup, with the event reverting to a stand-alone tournament after three years of playing the men’s and women’s Opens on the same course at the same time.

“Thankfully, the conversation was happening before the Masters,” GA boss James Sutherland said on Wednesday.

“We did have a moment there where, when he won the Masters, thinking, what are the implications of this? Maybe he’s going to get offers from all over the world, and maybe the numbers will be different, and all of that sort of thing.

“But fortunately, Rory has been completely true to his word. He has for a long time expressed a desire to come here and play on the sandbelt, and the attraction of that would appear to be absolutely genuine.

Rory McIlroy celebrates winning the 2025 Masters. Picture: Richard Heathcote / Getty Images North America / Getty Images via AFP

“He has always said he wants to play tournament golf here. That conversation has been going on for a long time, and fortunately, nothing changed when he won the Masters.

“It just became an even more compelling proposition.”

McIlroy collected his maiden green jacket at Augusta in April to complete the career grand slam.

The 35-year-old, and world No.2, last played the Australian Open in 2014 when he defended the Stonehaven Cup the year after he went head-to-head with Adam Scott in 2013 to eventually be crowned champion.

“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” McIlroy said.

“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.”

It’s a huge fillip for the tournament, which is moving back to a stand-alone event after three years playing as a dual-gender event, alongside the women’s Australian Open, which received mixed reviews from players including Cam Smith.

McIlroy won the 2013 Australian Open Golf Championship at Royal Sydney Golf Course. pic. Phil Hillyard

Adam Scott is set to return after skipping last year’s event at Kingston Heath, with Sutherland hopeful the quest for world ranking points, and spots in the British Open for the top three finishers, could lure more big names.

“The DP World Tour provides a whole lot of European Tour players that will join us,” he said.

“But I think also in amongst the LIV ranks, there are a whole lot of players that will want to increase their rankings.

“The top three placegetters in the Australian Open every year get a spot in the Open Championship, and that itself is an attraction for anyone that’s outside of the top rankings.

“We are committed to elevating the status of our national championship, and this announcement is a significant step in that direction.”

McIlroy will head to Melbourne after playing out the PGA Tour season and then Ryder Cup in September.

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.

Originally published as Masters champ Rory McIlroy to play Australian Open in Melbourne