Why international superstar Rory McIlroy’s favourite win was in Australia

Of all the many victories in Rory McIlroy’s glittering career, the 2013 Australian Open is the clear standout.

The star golfer has won all four majors – just the sixth man to achieve the career grand slam. He has spent more than 100 weeks at No.1 in the official golf world rankings, represented Europe in the Ryder Cup and was the first person to win the FedEx Cup three times.

But McIlroy didn’t hesitate when asked by podcaster David Novak last year – he immediately recalled the moment at Royal Sydney from more than a decade ago.

Reigning Masters champion Adam Scott had led for most of the tournament, but was desperately trying to hold off a fast finishing McIlroy.

“I had had the worst season of my professional career in 2013. I changed equipment, I really struggled to make the switch,” McIlroy recalled.

“I just had an awful year, didn’t have a win, didn’t play well.

“I played with Adam Scott all four days … and I ended up beating him on the 72nd green.

“Of all the trophies that I have at home … the Australian Open trophy is meaningful because I felt like it got me back on track to go and have the year in 2014 that I did and go on to win two majors.

“That Australian Open will always hold a special place in my heart.”

On Thursday, he will be back competing against Scott in the same tournament, this time at Royal Melbourne. They will face-off directly in the first two rounds, playing alongside Australian Min Woo Lee. The three are scheduled to start the tournament off the 10th tee at 7.05am Thursday.

Scott’s last tour win in Australia was the 2019 PGA Championship at Royal Pines in Queensland. You have to go back to 2009 when Scott last won an Australian Open at New South Wales Golf Club.

The 45-year-old will be hoping to add another one to his trophy cabinet to build momentum for what he hopes will be a significant PGA Tour season heading into 2026.

What he won’t be hoping for is a repeat of that Sunday back in 2013, which was a disaster.

The Queenslander, who had earlier in the year won the Australian PGA and the Masters, went into the final day with a four-stroke lead, and led McIlroy by a shot walking off the 17th.

It could have – and potentially should have – been over on that green. But Scott missed another birdie putt from inside 10 feet, leaving the door ajar for the Northern Irishman.

It set up a nail-biting finish.

On the final hole, a tricky par four that veers around to the left and back towards the clubhouse, both players hit immaculate tee shots.

Scott, who had 154 metres to the pin, hit first and overcooked his approach shot ever so slightly. It took a hard bounce on the back right corner of the green and trickled over the back, missing the bunker but leaving him an ever-so-tricky chip shot.

McIlroy, with the door now wide open, hit a pitching wedge from 141 metres and landed it just under the hole, leaving him to make a 12-foot putt for a birdie.

Scott wasn’t able to go up and down to save par.; McIlroy made his putt. And just like that, the entire tournament was turned on its head.

The vast majority of the tens of thousands packed into Royal Sydney thought they would be going to a play-off hole.

But the world No.1 didn’t need the two putts. He only needed one.

“It just goes to show, it’s never over until it’s over,” Australian golfing royalty Ian Baker-Finch said on the broadcast.

On Tuesday, Scott smirked when he was reminded about the bout with McIlroy some 12 years ago. But the pain was still there.

“Yeah, look, I mean that was not the greatest memory for me and it all just slipped away so quickly on that final hole,” he said.

“But when you’re on these great courses and playing under pressure, the smallest of errors can happen like that. And I put myself in a spot that was a little tricky to get up and down and all of a sudden the momentum was with Rory on the green and he holed the putt and won.

“And I also find that I’ve seen it many times, but players come down to Australia late in the year and really turn it around. Rory I think would be the first to admit 2013 was not his best year and coming down and playing and having that win set him up for 2014, which might be one of his best years.

“The confidence you get from winning any tournament, it’s hard to fake that confidence. And then for this week, I think no matter what happens, we’re going to have a great event. There are so many great players playing this week on an iconic venue. Some fantastic memory is going to be created no matter what.”

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