The Northern Irishman was the defending champion of the Australian Open, having proudly hoisted the Stonehaven Cup at Royal Sydney the year prior in a blockbuster battle with Adam Scott, then the Masters champion.
McIlroy’s win in 2013 was a grandstand finish. He started his day four shots back from Scott – who broke the course record on the opening day with 62. Scott was chasing the elusive “triple crown”, having won the Australian Masters and Australian PGA Championship earlier in the year.
McIlroy was staring down the barrel of his first winless year since 2008, and Scott had lost his buffer by the 8th hole. It became a match-play contest between two global superstars.
Scott fought back to lead by one on the 18th tee … Long story short: Scott bogeyed and McIlroy rolled in his 10-footer for birdie with authority to win the Stonehaven Cup.
McIlroy already has his name on the Stonehaven Cup. PHOTO: Getty Images.
“More satisfying than that is being able to take one of the best players in the world down the stretch and come out on top,” McIlroy said. “Adam is a phenomenal golfer, a great competitor and probably an even better guy. I feel a bit sorry that I was the one that ruined the triple crown for him.”
Seeing the best duel the best has been tough to come by in Australia recently; coaxing even one or two world-class international figures to play in the Australian Open has been hard enough. The local stars – Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman and Scott (who missed the event last year) – have largely carried the men’s field, supported fittingly by some great up-and-coming talent waiting to make the leap onto the big stage.
The Australian Open never used to be a stepping stone. It was huge, and if you’ve been a keen reader of this journal over the years, you’ll be well aware of some of the names this once-great event has been able to attract. Nicklaus, Norman, Woods, Player and Palmer spring to mind.
Scott was beaten by McIroy’s fabulous Sunday 66. PHOTO: Getty Images.
This is the most significant coup Golf Australia could have snared – bar maybe a battered and bruised Tiger Woods. Even then, you could argue this is bigger than the GOAT coming to town. And kudos to the governing body for pulling it off. They made the call to abolish the mixed format after last year’s event at Victoria and Kingston Heath, which was a huge call – but the right one.
The headline international male act was Joaquin Niemann, the defending champion and a phenomenal player, but not the kind to send ticket sales off the Richter scale. And winless PGA Tour funny guy Harry Higgs was a ripping fella, but not quite the world-class figurehead to blow said ticket sales out of the water, either. Who could forget club pro Michael Block coming down the year prior in Sydney?
The fans will flock to see the Masters champion, like they did at Royal Sydney in 2013. PHOTO: GEtty Images.
The long-awaited return of McIlroy will come at the holy grail of golf in this country: Royal Melbourne’s Composite Course. It is a travesty that Australia’s national Open hasn’t been played at Royal Melbourne in over 30 years. Much of the excitement around Rory’s return to Australia stems from the fact it will be played at Royal Melbourne. It also shows the importance of having big events at great venues.
The last time the Stonehaven Cup was up for grabs at RM, Wayne “Radar” Riley – whose on-course commentary is a staple on Sky Sports in the U.K – won the event. That particular week’s combatants also included Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie, Ian Baker-Finch and Frank Nobilo.
McIlroy’s decision to challenge for the Stonehaven Cup again in 2025 and 2026 will have an emphatic impact on golf and beyond in this country. McIlroy has already won three times in 2025, including, of course, breaking his duck at the Masters in April – his first major tournament title win in over a decade. The Northern Irishman is making his Australian return during one of his best years to date.
McIlroy is a student of the game. He has a deep understanding of the history and importance of national Opens. He has openly spoken about how dearly he holds the national titles he has managed to clinch throughout his career. He sits on eight and is looking to add more.
“National Opens definitely mean something else,” McIlroy said at the Canadian Open tournament in 2024.
“I think they’re really important in terms of the traditions of the game and the legacy of the game going forward.”
His decision to come back could spark others to follow. Who knows – his major-winning buddy Shane Lowry might follow him down. Scottie Scheffler? What a get that would be on the Sandbelt.
MELBOURNE AND TOURISM
Melbourne isn’t new to the spotlight in a sporting sense; the Victorian capital does sport incredibly well. Getting commitment from the Masters champion is a big win, but it simply adds to the riches of world-renowned sport on display during the calendar year.
The fans came from far and wide to RM in 2019 for the Presidents Cup. PHOTO: Getty Images.
The Australian Open tennis, Melbourne Grand Prix, sell-out AFL games at the MCG week after week, an epic British and Irish Lions Test, and NBA pre-season fixtures. Also, the NFL will be in town in 2026 for regular-season games. There is plenty to salivate over as a sports fan in Melbourne.
Now Rory McIlroy is coming to town to play the best on display.
The city already ranks among the world’s top sporting capitals – Melbourne was the highest-ranked Australian city (10th globally) in a 2022 Sporting Cities Index – and hosting consecutive Australian Opens on its famed Sandbelt golf courses (Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath) reinforces that image.
Local leaders highlight the branding benefits. Sports Minister Steve Dimopoulos called the deal a “major coup” and emphasised that Melbourne’s world-class Sandbelt courses are a perfect showcase for international audiences.
He noted that such events highlight “why Melbourne is one of the great golfing cities of the world”.
Golf tourism contributed a whopping $1.2 billion to Victoria’s economy last year. The McIlroy announcement coincides with a strong tourism rebound overall – domestic overnight spending in Melbourne grew 22 per cent year-on-year – suggesting the city is poised to capture incremental visitors.
A long wait came to an end for Rory McIlroy at Augusta National in April. PHOTO: Getty Images.
Exposure from McIlroy’s participation also boosts Melbourne’s already glowing global profile: every television shot of the Sandbelt courses is essentially free advertising for the city’s sporting brand.
As one industry analyst notes, Melbourne’s investment in venues and event strategy is paying off – the state’s mix of top-tier facilities and international stars is cementing its reputation as a premier sports destination.
For a nation which had been starved of world-class professional golf for years until LIV Adelaide came along, you’d only have to look at the numbers that event is driving to see that the appetite to watch some of the game’s best is as high as it’s ever been in Australia. The punters will flock from around the nation and beyond to see McIlroy play here again.
The five-time major champion’s presence will undoubtedly trigger a surge in tourism to Melbourne and Victoria.
The Victorian government expects “tens of thousands” of extra tourists to descend on the Sandbelt region during each day of the tournament.
They came to watch in 2014. They will come again in 2025. PHOTO: Getty Images.
Airlines and hotels will already be staffing the decks for increased demand: industry commentary predicts spikes in flights from the U.K, U.S, New Zealand and Southeast Asia (markets rich in golf tourists) around the event dates.
Dimopoulos specifically forecast that the tournaments would be “fantastic for our visitor economy, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and cafes” and drawing in “millions more” viewers from overseas. Early data bears this out: following McIlroy’s commitment, ticket and travel packages sold rapidly, indicating strong advance interest.
The tourism lift, however, extends beyond Melbourne itself.
December is usually shoulder season for Victoria, so events like the Australian Open encourage offseason travel and regional spillover. Fans visiting Melbourne will often dabble in side trips to Victoria’s wine regions and the coast (Great Ocean Road) or explore some more world-class golf on the Mornington and Bellarine Peninsulas. Significant sports events have a multiplier effect.
GOLF IN AUSTRALIA
Golf is already booming in Australia at a club and grassroots level: a recent report shows a record 3.8 million Australians played golf in 2023–24 (a 9 per cent jump), and club membership is up 19 per cent over five years. Junior participation is surging, too – up 33 per cent year-on-year – thanks partly to development programs.
In the long stuff at The Australian in 2014. PHOTO: Getty Images.
McIlroy’s high profile can feed this momentum by inspiring young players. He has remarked that the Australian Open “should almost be the fifth major” given the market’s potential, underscoring his belief in Aussie golf’s quality. This kind of endorsement from a global champion raises Australia’s international golfing standing: courses on Melbourne’s Sandbelt are further validated as championship-calibre venues.
Success breeds investment. The Victorian government’s Major Events Fund backed this deal and organisers will leverage McIlroy’s commitment to argue for continued funding and sponsorship of elite golf.
McIlroy’s appearance will likely accelerate trends already underway: more young Australians taking up the game, increased corporate sponsorship for events and programs, and stronger global recognition of Australia as a premier tournament destination.
If the Masters champion can inspire a handful of young boys or girls to pick up a golf club after seeing him play in their backyard, it’s a tick in the win column.
Not only will McIlroy bring fans to the actual venue, he’ll draw them to the TV broadcast, too.
You only have to see the spikes in PGA Tour TV numbers when McIlroy is in contention to understand what a needle-mover the 36-year-old is. His appearance alone will significantly boost the number of global eyeballs watching Australia’s national Open.
The final round of the 2025 Masters attracted an average of 12.7 million viewers and peaked at over 19 million – a 33 per cent increase from the previous year. It was the same story at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which McIlroy won. The event was the most viewed tournament which wasn’t a major championship or The Players in the last year, peaking at nearly four million.
THE FANS
The golf, sports and casual fans will be the real winners from McIlroy’s return down under. The man transcends his sport and thus his presence will bring in not only die-hard golf fanatics, but also general sports enthusiasts. You don’t have to follow golf to know he’s kind of a big deal. Some fans will show up just to see what the fuss is about.
The fans are the big winner. PHOTO: Getty Images.
Those on social media expressed elation as news of McIlroy’s commitment began to crystalise. One Australian fan wrote: “I can’t wait to see Rory compete in Australia … absolutely buzzing” and another pledged: “Take my money if Rory comes to town.”
These reactions back up the indications of a significant surge in attendance and TV viewership. Demand levels are so high that hospitality packages are selling like M&Ms. McIlroy’s presence is undoubtedly elevating public interest: the Northern Irishman oozes prestige and star power, amplifying media attention. Rory being here will send more fans into a social media frenzy and will create larger, more diverse crowds (including casual sports fans) at the event.
The more you break it down – the most popular player in the game is coming back for the first time in over a decade to play the best venue in the country – golf fans will be up to their eyeballs in history. The Australian Open is making all the right moves to establish itself as one of the year’s most anticipated events again.
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