Rory McIlroy arrives in Melbourne, hits key courses ahead of the Australian Open
Rory McIlroy has arrived. The megastar landed in Melbourne and hit at several key courses, as the Australian Open prepares for its biggest contender since Tiger Woods two decades ago.
Rory McIlroy’s first visit to Australia in more than a decade will bring with it unprecedented television coverage with host broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel Nine to expand their coverage windows so viewers don’t miss a shot from the Northern Irishman.
Not since Tiger Woods visited Australia in the late 2000s has the local television coverage started on Thursday morning, but that’s what will happen this week when McIlroy pegs it up in his first round at Royal Melbourne.
McIlroy arrived in Melbourne on Monday morning and took a lightning tour of Victoria’s famed sandbelt courses – Royal Melbourne, Kingston Heath, Commonwealth, Victoria and Metropolitan.
He played a par-three on each as part of his preparation for the Australian Open, and was watched by only a handful of Royal Melbourne members on its fifth hole.
There will be far more eyeballs on television later this week as the five-time major winner headlines a resurgent Australian Open.
Typically, Australian golf broadcasts for the opening two rounds of either the Australian PGA Championship or Australian Open would start when the afternoon groups tee off.
But eagle-eyed viewers have noted a change to programming guides with Fox Sports advertising a special event on Thursday morning for its dedicated Australian Open channel.
Translation: McIlroy will be teeing off early in the first round and there will be extensive coverage of it.
It’s no great surprise McIlroy would be pencilled in to begin his Stonehaven Cup assault early on Thursday as major tours and their television partners prefer the biggest names to headline coverage on Friday afternoon leading into the weekend.
Now the question is: who will play with the most charismatic golfer in the world when heaving galleries snake their way around the Melbourne sandbelt for a rare glimpse of the grand slam winner?
That’s a decision tournament organisers will confirm on Tuesday.
Australia’s modern day golfing statesman Adam Scott, our only Masters winner, is considered a strong chance of being alongside McIlroy for the first two rounds.
McIlroy and Scott have bonded over more than just their green jackets with both heavily involved in reshaping the PGA Tour after years of unrest with LIV Golf.
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Originally published as Rory McIlroy arrives in Melbourne, hits key courses ahead of the Australian Open
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