Rory McIlroy issues strong warning to Australian Open organisers

Rory McIlroy didn’t just tee it up at the Crown Australian Open this week — he delivered a message to tournament officials loud and clear before heading home. 

The five-time major champion, who considers the Australian Open one of global golf’s crown jewels, believes the event deserves far more star power. After a mixed week at Royal Melbourne, he’s calling for a bold shake-up in the schedule to make that happen.

To put it bluntly: the tournament’s timing is holding it back, despite the sell-out crowds. 

McIlroy, 36, hadn't played the famous Australian Open since 2014, but his return — and win here in 2013 — underline just how highly he rates the championship.

After closing with back-to-back birdies, including a bomb on 18, to post a 7-under-par total and finish T14, the World No. 2 didn’t mince his words about what needs to be done to truly get the event back on the world map.

“I've been excited to come back down here for a while, it's been over 10 years since I played in the Australian Open,” McIlroy told a reporter. 

“This is a golf tournament that has got so much potential and I think it showed a little bit of that this week. There's still a ways to go.

“I would love to have a few more players come down and play. But it's hard. There's three tournaments going on in the schedule this week. There needs to be conversations had with people much more important than me that set the schedules and do all that sort of stuff. Hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that accommodates everyone and everyone can at least have the option to come down and play.”

That final line will now be ringing in the ears of DP World Tour and Australian Open officials. 

A world-class event… deserving of a world-class field

The Australian Open is one of the oldest national opens in golf, dating back to 1904. 

McIlroy has long said it belongs in the conversation with the best global events outside the majors. 

But its current position on the calendar puts it in direct conflict with multiple international tournaments, making it almost impossible to assemble the type of field its heritage warrants.

This week it was going up against the equally famous Nedbank Golf Challenge in honour of Gary Player, which was also staged on the DP World Tour, and Tiger Woods' 20-man Hero World Challenge that features a number of the best PGA Tour players over in The Bahamas. 

Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen went on to claim the Australian Open to capture his first DP World Tour title. He finished on 15-under par and one shot ahead of home favourite Cameron Smith, who three-putted the 18th hole to miss out on a playoff.

Neergaard-Petersen's first win comes just weeks after he earned his PGA Tour card for 2026 via the DP World Tour Rankings. The victory also punches the Dane's ticket to The Masters in April for the first time. 

But while an impressive champion emerged, McIlroy knows the Australian Open could be so much more with stronger strategic support from global tours.

“I’m looking forward to a little break” 

McIlroy's competitive 2025 campaign is over.

This year has been the best of McIlroy's career, highlighted of course by winning The Masters to complete the career grand slam in April. 

In 2025, McIlroy also: 

• captured his first victory at Pebble Beach
• won a second Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass
• lifted his second Irish Open at The K Club
• claimed a fourth consecutive Race to Dubai title and seventh overall, closing in on Colin Montgomerie’s all-time record
• and delivered 3.5 crucial points for Europe in their historic Ryder Cup away win at Bethpage, the first since Medinah 2012

After months of travel and pressure-packed golf, McIlroy is now understandably ready to hit pause.

“I'm looking forward to a little break,” admitted McIlroy, who is already eying up the wine list. 

“I played a pretty heavy schedule post the summer, with the Irish Open, then the Ryder Cup and then I've been globetrotting all over the last couple of months.

“I'm excited to have little bit of downtime, finally reflect on everything, maybe watch a few of the tournaments back. I've not really let myself do that too much.

“Looking forward to the Christmas break and put the feet up, a few glasses of wine and think back on about what an unbelievable year it's been.”

What’s next for Rory McIlroy? 

McIlroy isn’t entirely disappearing just yet. He’ll feature in the Optum Golf Channel Games on 17 December before jetting over to Salford, England, for another potential piece of history: the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.

Only two golfers — Dai Rees and Sir Nick Faldo — have won SPOTY in its 70-year existence. 

McIlroy is marginally the bookmakers’ favourite, with Chloe Kelly and Lando Norris his closest challengers in the betting market. 

A rare win for golf with the BBC really would stick an exclamation mark on his season...