Australian Open Final Scores: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen captures first DP World Tour title

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen captured his first DP World Tour title with victory at the Crown Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.

Neergaard-Petersen, 26, carded a final-round 70 to prevail by one shot over home favourite Cameron Smith on 15-under par. 

The talented Dane has been knocking on the door for his first DP World Tour title over the past 12 months. 

But he finally banged down the door at one of golf's most famous tournaments staged at one of the best golf courses in Australia.

The victory not only secured his first DP World Tour title but also punched his ticket to The Masters for the first time in April 2026. 

Neergaard-Petersen began the final round with a two-shot lead, but he threw it away when playing his first 10 holes in 2-over par. 

But a two-shot swing with the leaders on the 12th courtesy of a birdie, followed by another birdie on the 13th, saw Neergaard-Petersen move back out in front. 

He was caught by Smith on the 14th and the duo remained tied down the par-4 18th after both players made birdie on the par-5 17th. 

Smith looked to hold the advantage after Neergaard-Petersen sprayed his approach shot right onto the island of rough in the bunker.

But the Dane chipped up to 20 feet past the hole and then buried his par save to silence the home crowd. 

Smith had putted up from 60 feet to leave himself around seven feet to force a playoff, but he failed to convert the putt and it handed the title to Neergaard-Petersen. 

Neergaard-Petersen ended the 2025 season 15th on the Race to Dubai standings, which was enough to earn him a PGA Tour card for the first time in his career for 2026. 

Throw in a debut appearance to come at The Masters in April, and it's been quite a few weeks for the talented Dane. 

"I'm at a loss for words, it's been a battle all day," said Neergaard-Petersen on the 18th. 

"I managed to keep battling and to make that putt on the last, I just don't know what to say to be honest.

"It means the world to get onto the PGA Tour, and to get my first win here in my final event of the year is so special." 

The defeat for Smith will be a tough one to take, especially when it looked like he was in control of things on the 18th green.

Ripper GC captain Smith has endured a lacklustre season by his own high standards, missing the cut in all four majors.

Smith is winless on LIV Golf since Bedminster in August 2023, which remains his last victory around the world. 

But he will look to take the positives of a runner-up finish, his best of the season, heading into 2026. 

Si Woo Kim finished in solo third place on 13-under par.

Michael Hollick finished fourth on 12-under par, while Adam Scott rounded out the top five on 11-under par. 

Kim, Hollick and Scott each earn Open Championship berths as a result of their finishes. 

The Australian Open marked the second tournament of the 2026 DP World Tour season. 

Pre-tournament favourite and grand slam champion Rory McIlroy did not have his best week out there but he closed with two birdies on 17 and 18 to bring the house down and finish on 7-under par in T14. 

McIlroy, who had an eventful week including hitting a whiff and a shot off a banana peel, has confirmed he will be returning to the Crown Australian Open in 2026 at Kingston Heath GC. 

The Northern Irishman was making his first appearance Down Under since 2014.

McIlroy won the Australian Open at Royal Sydney in 2013. 

Japan's Ryo Hisatsune endured one of the more embarrassing moments of his DP World Tour career when he dropped his club onto his golf ball.

It saw him incur a one-shot penalty en route to a double-bogey six on the 8th hole. 

He ended the day with a horror round of 6-over 77 to tumble down the board to level par and outside the top 50.