McIlroy calls on golf superstars to join him at Australian Open
Rory McIlroy’s playing career was “at a crossroads” in 2013, when the then 24-year-old snatched victory at the Australian Open ahead of hometown hero Adam Scott.
Today, the golf star credits that pivotal win at Royal Sydney as the catalyst that propelled him to a dominant 2014.
Rory McIlroy, right, of Northern Ireland shakes hands with Australia’s Adam Scott. AP
That season he claimed two majors - the British Open and the PGA Championship - and rose back into the top world ranking spot.
“(Australian Open is) incredibly important, I’d love to put my name on that trophy again. Honestly, the Stonehaven Cup was one of the most meaningful trophies that I have,” McIlroy said.
“I was at a bit of a crossroads in my career. I had a really tough 2013 and I’ve always said I wouldn’t have had the 2014 I had, winning two majors and getting to No.1 in the world, if I didn’t have the week in Australia that I had at the end of 2013.
“So it’s always been a meaningful week for me. I qualified for it as a 16-year-old amateur back in 2005 down in the Mornington Peninsula.
“I’ve had a big affinity for that golf tournament for a long time.”
Honouring that connection, McIlroy headlined the event in 2025 and will again play in 2026 after signing a two-year deal to compete on Victoria’s legendary sand belt courses.
McIlroy called Royal Melbourne, which hosted last year’s tournament, “one of the best courses in the world”.
“The Melbourne sand belt has some of the best courses anywhere in the world and I think getting the exemptions into the Open Championship and the Masters tournament from there...it was a big step forward for the Australian Open and hopefully something that they can build on in the years to come.”
McIlroy and Adam Scott are eager to draw more of the sport’s elite to Australia as the tournament’s global profile continues to rise.
Alongside those two, Cameron Smith, Lucas Herbert, Elvis Smylie and Geoff Oglivy will be in attendance to fly the home flag, with all players getting a feel for the course layout for the 2028 Presidents Cup, to be held at Kingston Heath.
With the PGA Tour continuing to evolve their schedule and transitioning to a condensed regular season, top players now have the flexibility to make the trip Down Under.
“I hope that more people make it Down Under and play,” McIlroy continued.
“I think what the PGA Tour are doing with their schedule from February through to August, there’s opportunity there to get some of the biggest names in the world down to play the Australian Open.
“I mean, you look at the winners of the Australian Open over the years and it really is a who’s who of the best players over the past 50 or 60 years.
“It would be great if the Australian Open could get back to that level one day.”
McIlroy created a huge amount of hype around the event. Getty Images
That illustrious winners list includes names such as Jordan Spieth, Greg Chalmers and McIlroy himself.
This year, the tournament heads to Kingston Heath from December 3-6, presenting a unique challenge as players navigate a shorter, strategic layout that demands precision over power.
“I would argue that Royal Melbourne’s probably built on a better piece of land for a golf course...but I think with where Kingston Heath is, (a) pretty flat piece of property, what they’ve been able to do with that golf course (is amazing),” McIlroy said.
“I really have an appreciation for golf courses that maybe don’t have the best piece of land and they have to come up with unique designs to really make it interesting.”
