Irish golf is continuing late into the year as Rory McIlroy, Tom McKibbin and Lauren Walsh look to end 2025 on a high note.
McIlroy has talked the talk about a global tour and playing a worldwide schedule. There’s no doubt that he has walked the walk in that regard.
This week he makes his final appearance of the season at the Crown Australian Open at Royal Melbourne GC – his first time playing the event since 2014.
“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 sand belt, somewhere I’ve always wanted to play professionally,” McIlroy said earlier this year.
The grand slam champion will have ended his season having taken in stints in India, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ireland, England, Scotland, Australia and America. Globetrotting.
The seven-time Race to Dubai winner barely had time to bask in the glory of his latest order of merit crown – the 2026 DP World Tour season began last week.
Coinciding with this week’s Aussie Open is the prestigious Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player Country Club.
Hong Kong Open champion McKibbin is the Irish representative there in the €6m event as he looks to push towards the top-50 in the world. He is currently ranked a career high 76th despite being unable to earn world ranking points on his main competing tour, LIV Golf.
Lauren Walsh clung on to her top-10 order of merit place on the Ladies European Tour and she tees it up in this week’s battle for 25 LPGA cards in Alabama at the final stage of LPGA Q-Series.
On Tuesday a host of Irish players are competing on the revived MENA Tour in Portugal. The Rolear Algarve Classic gets underway at the Amendoeira Golf Course.
Paul McBride, Max Kennedy, Tyler Hogarty and PGA Professional Gary McGrane are all in the field.
