This time of year is traditionally regarded as downtime and off-season for many professional golfers on the global tours.

However, one tournament stands out this week - the Crown Australian Open, to be held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club on the DP World Tour, which commands attention for one compelling reason: 36-year-old Rory McIlroy is in the field.

Rory is a former Australian Open champion, winning the title in 2013 when it was sponsored by Emirates Airline, and he is one of 11 former champions competing this week.

Currently world number two in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Rory is one of the few players whose presence alone can elevate a tournament. His golf rarely disappoints. Big crowds, increased TV numbers, and positive exposure for sponsors and tournament promoters are virtually guaranteed, as the eyes of the golfing world focus on Australia.

Rory calls his shots

Rory now chooses his schedule on his own terms – he is one of the fortunate few. A global player and a key supporter of the DP World Tour, he last played the Australian Open in 2014. The even better news is that he has also committed to playing next year's edition at Kingston Heath Golf Club.

It is no secret that he hopes to play a little less but travel to places he has not yet visited. Having played the recent DP World India Championship in New Delhi, his return to Australia confirms he still has the hunger to explore new challenges and measure himself against the best on different courses around the world.

So far this year, Rory has won the AT&T Pro-Am, The Players, The Masters, and the Amgen Irish Open.

Can he end the year in style with a victory in Australia? He will surely be in the mix.

Other notable players in the field include former champions Adam Scott (Aus) and Joaquin Niemann (Chile), last week's Asian Tour winner David Puig (Spain), a strong contingent of local Australian players, and established DP World Tour professionals – including several who advanced through the HotelPlanner Tour to secure their 2026 cards.

Rising star turns pro

A particularly interesting entry is Cameron Adam (Scotland), who qualified through Category 17 via the Global Amateur Pathway ranking. He topped the rankings, developed jointly by the DP World Tour and The R&A, for elite amateurs not in college, earning a full DP World Tour card for the 2026 season as he transitions to the professional ranks.

Adding further intrigue, the winner of the Australian Open will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters, along with coveted places available via The Open Qualifying Series.
This includes three spots in the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale for the leading three players, not already exempt, who make the cut.

Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, recently commented, "The Open is one of the world's great sporting events, and its global nature is reflected in the number of outstanding opportunities we offer to golfers to qualify for the Championship through our exemptions and professional tour events held each year internationally.

"The Open Qualifying Series generates great excitement and intrigue each year as players compete to earn a coveted place in the Championship, and so we look forward to seeing what stories emerge in the months ahead and the field coming together as we get closer to staging another memorable Open at Royal Birkdale next July.”

Regional and Final Qualifying events for The Open, open to professional and amateur golfers worldwide who meet the entry criteria, will take place across Great Britain and Ireland in June. A new Last-Chance Qualifier will be held at Royal Birkdale on Monday, 13 July, where 12 players will compete in a shoot-out for a single remaining place.

Global golf pathways strengthen

These year-round pathways from global tournaments demonstrate the growing collaboration in world golf, particularly between The R&A and The Masters. This was reaffirmed during the recent Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) at Emirates Golf Club.

It has also encouraged LIV golfers to play a more global schedule to secure opportunities to qualify for the Majors, especially as their OWGR positions are affected.

And with Australia taking much of the spotlight, we must not forget the $6 million Nedbank Golf Challenge at Gary Player CC in Sun City, South Africa, also on the DP World Tour. Last year, it was won by Dubai resident Johannes Veerman (US). This proves it is not only the largest-purse tournaments that attract global attention.

Another big week for world golf!

Schedule (Bullet Points)DP World Tour

Crown Australian Open

Dates: Thu 4 – Sun 7 December 2025

Venue: Royal Melbourne GC, Melbourne, Australia

Purse: AUD $2 million

Nedbank Golf Challenge (in honour of Gary Player)

Dates: Thu 4 – Sun 7 December 2025

Venue: Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa

Purse: $6 million

MENA Golf Tour

Rolear Algarve Classic

Dates: Tue 2 – Thu 5 December 2025

Venue: Amendoeira Golf Course, Algarve, Portugal

Purse: $100,000

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