Rory McIlroy to play 2025 and 2026 Australian Open at Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath
Just a month after achieving the career grand slam at Augusta National, McIlroy has confirmed he will be at Royal Melbourne Golf Club later this year when the tournament kicks off on December 4.
Kingston Heath will play host to Australia's oldest and most prestigious golf tournament in 2026, which will be the third time in five years it has been staged there.
World No.2 McIlroy last played at the Australian Open in 2014, a year after dramatically edging out hometown hope Adam Scott for the title in 2013.
'I'm proud to be committing to the Australian Open for the next two years, especially with it being played on the world-class Melbourne Sandbelt, somewhere I've always wanted to play professionally,' McIlroy said of his announcement.
'The success of the Australian Open is important for the global game, and I'm incredibly confident it will thrive again this year, especially with it being staged in one of the world's great sporting cities and on two of the finest golf courses in the world over the next two years: The Royal Melbourne Golf Club and Kingston Heath Golf Club.
'Melbourne is known for being one of the world's great sporting cities and I can't wait to be part of that atmosphere and soak in everything it has to offer, both on and off the course.'
After three years as a joint men's and women's event, which received mixed reviews, the Australian Open men's tournament will switch back to a standalone format.
'We are confident that the revised format, with individual men's, women's and all-abilities events will give each event their own platform to showcase the incredible talent in golf,' Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland said.
Sutherland thanked the Victorian government for its support.
'The Victorian government truly understands the value that golf brings to the local economy,' he said.
'We appreciate their ongoing support and we look forward to partnering with them again as we host this year's men's Australian Open.
'Rory McIlroy, one of the best to ever play our game, playing on the world-renowned Melbourne Sandbelt, is a mouth-watering proposition for golf fans.
'We are committed to elevating the status of our national championship, and this announcement is a significant step in that direction.'
The Australian Open will take place a week after the Australian PGA Championship.
McIlroy, 35, is a five-time major champion and one of only six men to complete the career grand slam.
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Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘It's like they're oblivious': The fight to save a struggling sport in Victoria
'But the next generation of players will likely be in the NRL because Rugby Australia has dropped the ball. 'It's like they're oblivious to where the talent is coming from.' Rugby Australia says competition for players is intense nationwide, and rejects claims it dropped the ball. 'Rugby Australia also recently launched the Australian Schools and Junior Rugby Union Championships at under 16 and under 18 level, which provided a strong platform for the best players from every state and territory to perform on the national stages,' an RA spokesperson said. 'Several Victorian players from the tournament have been invited into the pathway programs of Super Rugby clubs.' But Harlequin Rugby Club president Brock Parker, who has been involved in the game for more than 30 years, says talented young players are crossing the border. The talent drain Parker has already seen eight to 10 teenagers from Quins move interstate in the past year, at great expense for the players and their families and stripping talent from the local Dewar Shield competition. 'The biggest effect of the demise of the Rebels has been the talent drain, a lot of the talented 18-year-olds have headed north,' Parker said. 'At our club, we've lost eight to 10 players aged 18 or 19 who have gone to play club rugby in Canberra or Sydney or elsewhere because there is no pathway here. Many of them see it as a possible profession for their future.' Wason said his club doesn't have a senior men's side at present and noted there are multiple rugby league clubs in their catchment area between Preston out to Doreen and Mernda. 'I know a lot of the families who are now running around at rugby league clubs who were our players,' Wason said. 'Now there's no obvious pathway into professional rugby in Victoria, there's more of an inclination to go down to the local league club than it is to drive to Reservoir – from the northern outskirts it's a 40-minute drive in peak hour traffic.' The Panthers now train at Mernda once a week. 'If we hadn't done that [the Mernda sessions], then we would have struggled with juniors but we've managed to get teams together,' Wason said. Both Parker and Wason say talented players from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands have stopped moving to Melbourne clubs. Players such as Sefa Naivalu arrived in Melbourne from Fiji and within a year went from Box Hill to the Rebels. He went on to play for the Wallabies and is still playing professionally. 'You don't see those players at all – they've totally gone,' Wason lamented. The Melbourne poster boy Former Rebels captain Rob Leota admits it still hurts to know his club is gone. He did his best to show love to his home city as a part of the First Nations and Pasifika team that almost upset the Lions at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday night. Originally meant to be a clash between the Rebels and the Lions, Rugby Australia created the concept of the First Nations and Pasifika team to fill the void. Leota made the sign of an 'M' with his fingers then did a cultural dance after scoring a late try in front of the 30,000-strong crowd. His emotions are still raw. He played for NSW Waratahs this year. Next season, Leota will move to France. 'I moved out of my comfort zone. It's the first time living away from home after being in Melbourne my whole life. I felt like a 12-year-old leaving my parents and living by myself with my girlfriend in Sydney,' Leota said. 'As hard as it was to leave the Rebels and see them gone, all I can hope is that we get a team back in Melbourne for these young kids to keep aspiring to keep playing rugby and one day play for the Wallabies.' Wallaroos exodus The Rebels women were also dropped from the Super W competition at the end of last season. It has left a huge hole. Wallaroos games record holder Ashley Marsters is a proud from Victorian and so is lock Tiarah Minns. But they had to join Western Force and Queensland Reds for this year's Super W. 'The unspoken impact has been on the pathway for our women,' Rugby Victoria CEO Aaron Bailey said. But he is buoyed by some interest the ACT Brumbies have shown in signing some young Victorian women after the recent national titles. A partnership with the Brumbies makes sense, according to Harlequins president Parker. They are closer than WA or NSW and the ACT has a smaller local playing base. Reigning John Eales medallist Valetini grew up in Victoria but became a star with the Brumbies as did former Wallabies playmaker Christian Leali'ifano. 'We've got to buddy up with the Brumbies,' Parker said. 'They started running coaching clinics and setting that up in the early 2000s. They really ingrained themselves in our community. 'But I fear they don't want to do that now because they are scared that somewhere down the line they will be forced to move to Melbourne.' Bailey and Rugby Victoria have put a focus on helping clubs improve their elite development, and they aim to form local representative squads for the north, south, east and west where the elite juniors train together, such as the AFL's Coates Talent League. Battle of the codes Loading Just as the Rebels were fading away, the NRL's Melbourne Storm pivoted towards boosting their local player ranks. Wason saw winger Young Tonumaipea leave the Panthers to chase a successful career with the Storm and now he's seeing scores of former union families join one of several NRL junior clubs in his area. One of Wason's prize photos is of Leota and Leali'ifano holding a Panthers jersey. Now he can't be sure his club will produce another Wallaby. Bailey said Rugby Victoria had to keep promoting the success of its players. 'We need to articulate to our parents and players that union is a pathway. There's far more Victorians playing union professionally than in league, but we've got to continue to tell that story.' The future Rugby Victoria hopes the fields at the centre of excellence will be functional by October or November and that talks with Sport and Recreation Victoria, La Trobe University and the state government will lead to the building being finished. Loading RV sees that venue as vital for hosting future events and attracting more international matches. 'Without a professional team, we have to work out the best use of that facility,' chief executive Aaron Bailey said. 'For the people who play and love rugby, they are seeking clarity on what the game looks like in Victoria.' The state government contributed $31.870 million to the centre, and sports funding is scarce due to its budget struggles. 'Significant works have already been completed following our investment with all three rugby pitches being laid, helping fulfil the high demand for rugby pitches in metropolitan Melbourne,' a government spokesperson said. Rugby Australia said it would work with RV and the state government on finishing the centre, which Parker says is critical. 'Now we've got to get the bloody thing finished,' Parker said. Leota offers encouragement to young Victorians who had to leave. 'It's unfortunate to see but all you can say to those kids is that if you really want to aspire to play, then you've got to do what you've got to do,' Leota said. 'Continue to work hard and no matter where you go, never be ashamed to be from Melbourne, even though there is no team here.'
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
‘It's like they're oblivious': The fight to save a struggling sport in Victoria
'But the next generation of players will likely be in the NRL because Rugby Australia has dropped the ball. 'It's like they're oblivious to where the talent is coming from.' Rugby Australia says competition for players is intense nationwide, and rejects claims it dropped the ball. 'Rugby Australia also recently launched the Australian Schools and Junior Rugby Union Championships at under 16 and under 18 level, which provided a strong platform for the best players from every state and territory to perform on the national stages,' an RA spokesperson said. 'Several Victorian players from the tournament have been invited into the pathway programs of Super Rugby clubs.' But Harlequin Rugby Club president Brock Parker, who has been involved in the game for more than 30 years, says talented young players are crossing the border. The talent drain Parker has already seen eight to 10 teenagers from Quins move interstate in the past year, at great expense for the players and their families and stripping talent from the local Dewar Shield competition. 'The biggest effect of the demise of the Rebels has been the talent drain, a lot of the talented 18-year-olds have headed north,' Parker said. 'At our club, we've lost eight to 10 players aged 18 or 19 who have gone to play club rugby in Canberra or Sydney or elsewhere because there is no pathway here. Many of them see it as a possible profession for their future.' Wason said his club doesn't have a senior men's side at present and noted there are multiple rugby league clubs in their catchment area between Preston out to Doreen and Mernda. 'I know a lot of the families who are now running around at rugby league clubs who were our players,' Wason said. 'Now there's no obvious pathway into professional rugby in Victoria, there's more of an inclination to go down to the local league club than it is to drive to Reservoir – from the northern outskirts it's a 40-minute drive in peak hour traffic.' The Panthers now train at Mernda once a week. 'If we hadn't done that [the Mernda sessions], then we would have struggled with juniors but we've managed to get teams together,' Wason said. Both Parker and Wason say talented players from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands have stopped moving to Melbourne clubs. Players such as Sefa Naivalu arrived in Melbourne from Fiji and within a year went from Box Hill to the Rebels. He went on to play for the Wallabies and is still playing professionally. 'You don't see those players at all – they've totally gone,' Wason lamented. The Melbourne poster boy Former Rebels captain Rob Leota admits it still hurts to know his club is gone. He did his best to show love to his home city as a part of the First Nations and Pasifika team that almost upset the Lions at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday night. Originally meant to be a clash between the Rebels and the Lions, Rugby Australia created the concept of the First Nations and Pasifika team to fill the void. Leota made the sign of an 'M' with his fingers then did a cultural dance after scoring a late try in front of the 30,000-strong crowd. His emotions are still raw. He played for NSW Waratahs this year. Next season, Leota will move to France. 'I moved out of my comfort zone. It's the first time living away from home after being in Melbourne my whole life. I felt like a 12-year-old leaving my parents and living by myself with my girlfriend in Sydney,' Leota said. 'As hard as it was to leave the Rebels and see them gone, all I can hope is that we get a team back in Melbourne for these young kids to keep aspiring to keep playing rugby and one day play for the Wallabies.' Wallaroos exodus The Rebels women were also dropped from the Super W competition at the end of last season. It has left a huge hole. Wallaroos games record holder Ashley Marsters is a proud from Victorian and so is lock Tiarah Minns. But they had to join Western Force and Queensland Reds for this year's Super W. 'The unspoken impact has been on the pathway for our women,' Rugby Victoria CEO Aaron Bailey said. But he is buoyed by some interest the ACT Brumbies have shown in signing some young Victorian women after the recent national titles. A partnership with the Brumbies makes sense, according to Harlequins president Parker. They are closer than WA or NSW and the ACT has a smaller local playing base. Reigning John Eales medallist Valetini grew up in Victoria but became a star with the Brumbies as did former Wallabies playmaker Christian Leali'ifano. 'We've got to buddy up with the Brumbies,' Parker said. 'They started running coaching clinics and setting that up in the early 2000s. They really ingrained themselves in our community. 'But I fear they don't want to do that now because they are scared that somewhere down the line they will be forced to move to Melbourne.' Bailey and Rugby Victoria have put a focus on helping clubs improve their elite development, and they aim to form local representative squads for the north, south, east and west where the elite juniors train together, such as the AFL's Coates Talent League. Battle of the codes Loading Just as the Rebels were fading away, the NRL's Melbourne Storm pivoted towards boosting their local player ranks. Wason saw winger Young Tonumaipea leave the Panthers to chase a successful career with the Storm and now he's seeing scores of former union families join one of several NRL junior clubs in his area. One of Wason's prize photos is of Leota and Leali'ifano holding a Panthers jersey. Now he can't be sure his club will produce another Wallaby. Bailey said Rugby Victoria had to keep promoting the success of its players. 'We need to articulate to our parents and players that union is a pathway. There's far more Victorians playing union professionally than in league, but we've got to continue to tell that story.' The future Rugby Victoria hopes the fields at the centre of excellence will be functional by October or November and that talks with Sport and Recreation Victoria, La Trobe University and the state government will lead to the building being finished. Loading RV sees that venue as vital for hosting future events and attracting more international matches. 'Without a professional team, we have to work out the best use of that facility,' chief executive Aaron Bailey said. 'For the people who play and love rugby, they are seeking clarity on what the game looks like in Victoria.' The state government contributed $31.870 million to the centre, and sports funding is scarce due to its budget struggles. 'Significant works have already been completed following our investment with all three rugby pitches being laid, helping fulfil the high demand for rugby pitches in metropolitan Melbourne,' a government spokesperson said. Rugby Australia said it would work with RV and the state government on finishing the centre, which Parker says is critical. 'Now we've got to get the bloody thing finished,' Parker said. Leota offers encouragement to young Victorians who had to leave. 'It's unfortunate to see but all you can say to those kids is that if you really want to aspire to play, then you've got to do what you've got to do,' Leota said. 'Continue to work hard and no matter where you go, never be ashamed to be from Melbourne, even though there is no team here.'
ABC News
7 hours ago
- ABC News
Adelaide signals its arrival as a genuine AFL heavyweight and is perfectly placed for a premiership charge
The Crows are perfectly placed for a September charge this AFL season. A crushing 61-point defeat over the rising Gold Coast Suns has helped Adelaide soar into premiership contention, now among the favourites to take out the flag alongside Brisbane and Victorian heavyweights Collingwood. With seven wins from their last eight games, (the only loss in that period coming against Hawthorn by three points), the Crows have signalled their arrival as a force to be reckoned with late in the season. Captain Jordan Dawson has led the charge again this season, but he wouldn't be drawn into the argument that his club was the new flag favourite, ahead of Adelaide's Showdown 58 clash against the Power this weekend. "I think we've got a great group and I'm really confident in the way we play our footy and the way we go about it," Dawson said. "I've got no doubt our best footy is definitely good enough but like we've seen this year, any team on any given day can beat you, so we're very wary of that." James Peatling, Isaac Cumming and Alex Neal-Bullen all joined the Crows ahead of 2025 and have all had their moments to shine in 2025. Neal-Bullen's role as a midfielder and forward has given other players, like Dawson and Izak Rankine, freedom to be more damaging up the field. The former Demon has also been damaging himself, kicking three goals and gathering a career-high 31 disposals against the Suns last weekend. Former Giants Peatling and Cumming have also locked up spots in Adelaide's best team, showing versatility with their ability to play multiple roles. Dawson this week said his side now had the depth and talent to challenge for a flag. "Obviously bringing those three recruits in has helped us a lot and internally there's been a lot of growth from individuals," Dawson said at a press conference this week. "We've always had a lot of belief but we've just really narrowed the focus, I suppose, this year and focused on the week to week." In years gone by, if Taylor Walker didn't fire then the Crows struggled up forward. Now in the later stages of his career, the veteran certainly hasn't been poor, but has handed the reins over to Adelaide's young brigade to lead the charge. Riley Thilthorpe has kicked 41 goals this season, including bags of six against the Bulldogs in Round 18 and five against the Suns and Richmond early in the year. Izak Rankine and Josh Rachele have both provided a spark and pinch-hit in the midfield — with both adding 25 goals to the team's goal tally. Because of this, the pressure has been taken off of Walker — who has led the forward line for the past decade. He's still managed 28 goals as a third option, while Darcy Fogarty has also benefited from Thilthorpe's form, with 34 goals as well. Ben Keays and Alex Neal-Bullen also provide pressure and energy inside 50, providing a headache for all opposition defenders. This has helped Adelaide become the third-ranked team in the competition for points per game, behind only Geelong and the Western Bulldogs. Mark Keane, Josh Worrell and Nick Murray are three players not often spoken about as superstars of the competition. With the likes of Carlton's Jacob Weitering, GWS defender Sam Taylor and Brisbane's Harris Andrews marshalling defensive 50s, Adelaide's key defenders are somewhat unheralded. Despite the lack of media attention, Worrell and Keane are currently the top two players for intercept marks this season, Worrell with 137 and Keane with 134. This form has catapulted Adelaide into the number one spot for total intercepts, with Worrell taking 11 marks against the Suns alone in Round 19. Adelaide also sits second behind only Collingwood for points conceded and, thanks to its damaging forward line, has the healthiest percentage of 139.6 from 18 games. It is worth mentioning Adelaide hasn't played in a final since being belted by the Tigers in the 2017 decider. And it's quite rare for a team to jump straight to a premiership in its first finals appearance in years. So, how much impact will that have on player mentality come September? Crows Coach Matthew Nicks backed his team to lift when the finals begin. He said they would treat their remaining games as a warm-up for September, starting with this week's Showdown. "If you look back on the history of the game, we know what's coming," he said. "It's often talked about in the post-game as finals-like footy, there's not many Showdowns that haven't been. "From our point of view, it's perfect. We want to play in the hardest possible games we can and test ourselves and it won't be any harder than this." Despite their form, the Crows have only won three games against current top eight teams this season, the Suns, Brisbane and the Giants. Nicks said despite the extra commentary his side was getting late in the season, they were not thinking about finals at all. "It's not even something that's crossed our mind," Nicks said. "I think the position we're in is off the back of us not looking at any of that … the reality is it's there and it's noise." Port Adelaide Coach Ken Hinkley, however, was keen to put some pressure on, claiming the Crows should finish on top of the ladder. "Without pumping them up too much … they're the form team of the competition," Hinkley said at this week's Showdown press conference. "They've had an unbelievable run, I think eight or 10 of the last 12 or something. Adelaide play Port Adelaide in Showdown 58 this Saturday night, with clashes against Hawthorn and Collingwood to come in the run to finals. A top four spot should be more than achievable, with Adelaide's remaining matches coming against lowly West Coast and North Melbourne.
