‘Wow, I might’ve made a mistake’: Why world stars are keen to join Rory at the Australian Open

Golf Australia boss James Sutherland is hoping Rory McIlroy’s influence in the sport’s corridors of power can help the Australian Open continue to grow as a global force ahead of the 2026 tournament, but the next steps won’t necessarily involve changing the date.

Sutherland heaped praise on McIlroy as a marquee star after the Masters champion helped put the Australian Open back in the world spotlight last week, in the first appearance of his two-year, $2 million deal with Golf Australia and Visit Victoria.

McIlroy finished midfield at Royal Melbourne but it didn’t matter, with huge crowds turning out. Golf Australia announced on Monday the total attendance of 112,698 was a record for the “most attended golf event in Australian history”, passing the 102,000 who attended LIV Golf Adelaide in February.

“We planned to do something and we’ve probably exceeded our best hopes and expectations. A lot of things fell into place,” Sutherland said.

“But we had a proper swing at it and fortunately for us it came off, and landed really well. We have sent a message, not just to the Australian public about the Australian Open but ... there’s been an amazing response internationally as well.”

McIlroy had always been a fan of the Australian Open and its history. But the world no.2 performed his ambassadorial duties with genuine zeal, repeatedly hyping up the tournament, the crowds and Melbourne’s sand belt courses. That praise, in turn, flew around the world via social media.

“I said at the start of the week this is a golf tournament that’s got so much potential and to it showed a little bit of that potential this week,” McIlroy said on Sunday. “Just how this tournament has looked on TV all week, you have that on in Europe or back in the States or whatever and it makes an impact.

“If you compare this tournament to the other two tournaments going on in the world of golf this week, there’s no comparison. Yes, the field in the Bahamas is stronger than the one here, but in terms of atmosphere, of golf course – basically everything else you’re looking for in a tournament – I can’t think of many better than this.”

Sutherland said McIlroy’s praise “was gold” and pointed to an Instagram post by US PGA Tour star Max Homa saying: “Instagram has me feeling I gotta play in Australia next year. Looks heavenly.”

“I hope lots of other golfers feel the same ... actually I know there are a number of golfers that were playing in different parts of the world in the last week that were looking and saying, wow, I might’ve made a mistake,” Sutherland said.

But McIlroy also made pointed remarks about scheduling when asked if other stars might be motivated to join him at Kingston Heath next year.

“I would love to have a few more players come down and play, but it’s hard with three tournaments going on in the schedule this week,” McIlroy said. “There needs to be conversations had with people much more important than me that set the schedules, and hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that that accommodates everyone, and everyone can at least have the option to come down.”

The Australian Open clashed with Tiger Woods’ 20-player Hero Challenge invitational in the Bahamas, and the Nedland Golf Challenge in South Africa. Like the Australian Open, the latter is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the tournaments clash. Informed sources believe McIlroy’s comments were aimed at DP World Tour bosses.

Sutherland said he would have a debrief call with McIlroy to discuss the scheduling comments, and other ideas to further elevate the Australian Open. But Sutherland also indicated the tournament would not shift from Australia’s established two-week fortnight of golf, following the Australian PGA Championship.

“We definitely get his (McIlroy’s) feedback on that,” Sutherland said. “He can have conversations with people in higher office even more readily than we can. And hopefully his positive feedback will only strengthen our case.

“Scheduling is really challenging. There’s so much going on at the same time … we can decide to play whenever we want, but how it fits and works in with others is not something we have unilateral authority on. And in the scheme of world golf, we’re a smaller player. We don’t have the clout.

“One path is you can be beholden to the rest of the world, and try to squeeze in and around things.

“Or the other route is you make a stand. What’s really important to us is that we play in the window that works for Australia and Australian golf fans. And I think then we go and back our product. We back our golf courses and we back our national championship, and its heritage and history. It feels like we’ve made a noise around that.”

Many US PGA Tour players take holidays in December but long-term, the mooted reduction of the US PGA Tour to a 20-tournament season between February and August after 2030 may free some up.

But as far as chasing players to join McIlroy next year, Sutherland said the Australian Open would continue to use the recruitment strategy that led them to signing the Northern Irishman.

“We’ll go after the ones that are interested, it’s not just about us going and chasing them,” he said. “It’s about us creating a compelling tournament on great golf courses that the real golfing purists, I guess, have a desire to come to. It’s about creating attraction at our end that goes well beyond writing cheques.”