World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is back at the Australian Open for the first time in a decade, with DP World Tour CEO comparing the Grand Slam winner to Tiger Woods for his global play approach
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA STATE, AUSTRALIA – 2025/12/04: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland seen in action during round one of the Australian Open Golf tournament. The men’s Australian Open tees off at Royal Melbourne featuring leading local and international golfers competing for one of Australia’s top titles. (Photo by Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy is making a return to the Australian Open for the first time in ten years, opting out of the Hero World Challenge hosted by Tiger Woods. The recent Grand Slam winner has already drawn comparisons to the legendary golfer.
At 36, McIlroy is reducing his event participation but broadening his global presence, playing in the Australian Open after more than a decade. His inclusion in the tournament is causing quite a stir, with an anticipated increase of 30,000 fans.
“Everything that was last year has probably multiplied by about 5 or 10 times,” tournament director Antonia Beggs shared with Front Office Sports. “Everyone wants to be a part of it,” added Beggs, who also serves as the GM of major events for Golf Australia.
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McIlroy’s participation in the Australian Open is attracting a massive crowd and a significant number of volunteers. Guy Kinnings emphasized the importance of McIlroy’s willingness to compete at Royal Melbourne.
“To have one of our sport’s greatest ever players buying into this mission, and interested in playing in key growth markets, is hugely important for our business,” DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings told Front Office Sports, reports the Mirror US.
“Rory’s presence gives any tournament recognition and subsequently boosts fan engagement and commercial interest. In his prime, Tiger Woods was an advocate for playing a global schedule, and Rory has taken on that role and is running with it.”
Rory McIlroy compared to Tiger Woods after crowd and participation at Australian Open(Image: Getty Images)
The majority of non-U.S. tournaments that McIlroy competes in fall under the DP World Tour umbrella, which has broadened its reach to include global events while the PGA Tour primarily remains within American borders. The DP World Tour staged competitions across 26 different nations in 2025, with McIlroy appearing at seven tournaments spanning five countries during the year.
“I enjoy the travel,” McIlroy remarked at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. “I enjoy playing in different parts of the world.
“Going back to the same place, the same thing 15, 20 years in a row, it can get a little bit monotonous and a little bit tedious,” McIlroy commented in September ahead of the BMW PGA Championship in England.
Tiger Woods of The United States watches on on the 16th hole during the pro-am prior to the Hero World Challenge 2025
Looking toward the future of his golfing career, McIlroy intends to concentrate primarily on major championships and Ryder Cups.
“I’ve talked about trying to win at some of the most important venues in golf-this week is one of them.
“You think about the tournaments and the people that have won at Royal Melbourne and how highly regarded it is within the golf world. I was lucky enough to win at Pebble Beach [Pro-Am] this year for the first time, and obviously at Augusta. I’d love to win at St. Andrews one day. I’d love to win a U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
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“There are a few venues in our game that maybe just mean a bit more than some of the others and that’s something that I would love to do one day,” the World No. 2 explained.
“I want to win more majors. I want to be part of more Ryder Cup teams. I’d say my records on either tour, whether it be the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour are probably meaning a little less to me as time goes on, and it’s really just focusing on the majors and being part of that Ryder Cup team. I’m trying to build on the legacy that I’ve been building for the last 15 years.”
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