Rory McIlroy is gearing up for a special Australian Open as he looks forward to playing in front of ‘starved’ golf fans.
The 108th playing of the tournament brings it back to Royal Melbourne for the first time since 1991 and there is an air of excitement around this year’s competition.
Earlier this year, Golf Australia got rid of the mixed men’s, women’s and all-abilities format that was introduced in 2022.
Rory McIlroy is thrilled to be back in Australia. Pic: Graham Denholm/Getty Images
This has left Australia’s most prestigious tournament as the centre of attention once again.
However, it comes at the same time as the second Ashes Test in Brisbane but the DP World Tour will be hoping McIlroy’s presence will balance out the clash.
The Down native is a previous winner of the tournament after beating Adam Scott in a play-off at Royal Sydney in 2013.
McIlroy is gearing up to play at Royal Melbourne. Pic: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images
Now, he is looking forward to being back Down Under and competing for the Stonehaven Cup.
McIlroy said: ‘It hasn’t been a secret that I’ve wanted to come back … (and) the change in the format, going back to the traditional Australian Open has probably helped.
‘It just feels like this country is starved of top-level golf.
The Irishman wants to bring top-level golf back to ‘starved’ fans. Pic: Graham Denholm/Getty Images
‘Obviously, you’ve had Presidents Cups come down here and you’ve had a lot of good players still come through, but maybe just not on a consistent basis.
‘And I think a market like this, with amazing fans and the history that it does have, probably deserves more of a consistency of big players and big tournaments.’
Prior winners of the Stonehaven Cup include golfing greats such as Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player.
Adam Scott and Cam Smith will be among the Australians attempting to get the trophy back into native hands for the first time since Matt Jones won his second title in 2019.
Scott won the title in 2009 but admitted that winning it at the world-renowned course would be extra special.
He said: ‘I think winning the Aussie Open at Royal Melbourne has one of those asterisks next to it, where it’s just that little bit more meaningful.’
Other local contenders include Min Woo Lee and Karl Vilips, with the latter being a PGA Tour winner in his rookie season.
Among the international challengers are former Masters champion Danny Willett and 2023 Australian Open winner Joaquin Niemann.
