Australian Open Golf Returns to Royal Melbourne with Star-Studded Field

Historic Tournament Attracts Global Golf Elite

The 2025 Crown Australian Open returns to the iconic Royal Melbourne Golf Club, December 4–7, marking a significant moment for one of golf’s oldest championships. The Australian Open, owned and run by Golf Australia, is the oldest and most prestigious golf tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia. The Open was first played in 1904, establishing a legacy that spans over 120 years of competitive excellence.

Headlined by five-time major champion and career Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy, the stellar line-up includes Aussie stars Cam Smith, Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert. The tournament’s prestige extends beyond prize money, as the winner receives the Stonehaven Cup, presented by Lord Stonehaven, the Governor-General of Australia from 1925 to 1930. It was first presented in 1930.

Thrilling Competition Unfolds

After two rounds of compelling golf, Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Portugal’s Daniel Rodrigues head into the weekend as co-leaders at nine-under. Australian players have dominated proceedings, with Min Woo Lee continuing his blistering form to reach -8 and sit outright third after another superb day, highlighted by his stunning hole-out eagle on the 10th. Scott and Cam Smith also powered up the leaderboard, both finishing at -7 to share fourth after brilliant rounds of their own.

McIlroy faced challenges adapting to Royal Melbourne’s demanding greens. Still struggling to read the greens, McIlroy couldn’t find enough birdies to keep himself comfortable. His card was clean, bogey-free for much of the day, but it was also full of missed chances. However, the Northern Irishman demonstrated his championship pedigree by making a dramatic late rally to make the weekend cut.

Significance for Australian Golf

The Crown Australian Open purse is AUD $2,000,000, reflecting the tournament’s elevated status in the global golf calendar. The Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia announced its schedule for the first half of a bumper 2025-2026 season that will offer a record total of around $7 million in prizemoney across 10 events, demonstrating the growing investment in Australian professional golf.

The tournament also serves as a pathway to major championships, as the Australian Open has been the first of a number of qualifying tournaments, giving up to three non-exempt players entry into the Open Championship. As competition intensifies heading into the weekend, golf fans worldwide are witnessing why this historic tournament continues to attract the sport’s biggest names and most passionate audiences.