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A blockbuster Australian Open at the iconic Royal Melbourne has left golf fans craving more national championships on the Sandbelt, after record crowds and global interest in the TV broadcast sent the national championship back to its glory days.
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More than 112,00 fans came through the gates during the week of the 2025 Crown Australian Open, making it the highest-attended golf tournament in Australian history according to Golf Australia. That total number surpassed the 102,000 who witnessed the 54-hole LIV Adelaide event this year, while the 2019 Presidents Cup numbers at Royal Melbourne aren’t officially stated.
Many among the 112,000 fans at Royal Melbourne were desperate to get a glimpse of reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who headlined the DP World Tour-sanctioned field in addition to names such as Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert, Joaquin Niemann and others. Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen won the Stonehaven Cup over runner-up Smith courtesy of a sublime par save from rough on the final hole.
The fact the Australian Open returned to Royal Melbourne after an inexplicable absence of 34 years from the famed Composite course also drove domestic and international interest.
McIlroy is signed on for a second year and said on Sunday at Royal Melbourne that he was excited to return for the 2026 edition at Kingston Heath, which he nominated as his top Melbourne golf course.
Mainstream media and golf publications, as well as influential podcasts, were glowing about watching the Australian Open on the world’s No.5-ranked course – particularly from the US where cold weather and shorter daylight hours made for appointment viewing for the afternoon and nighttime broadcast windows there.
Now, golf fans wanting to sustain the momentum for more than two years are wondering what is in store for the Australian Open in 2027 and beyond.
“This year’s Australian Open golf not only attracted thousands of visitors, it supported local jobs, boosted Melbourne’s economy and further cemented our city as one of the world’s great sporting capitals,” a Victorian Government spokesperson said via a statement when contacted by Australian Golf Digest. “As Australia’s major events capital, we’re always working to secure major events that boost tourism and support jobs across the state.”
Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland told Australian Golf Digest that the Australian Open organiser would work with the Victorian government while also “exploring all opportunities”.
“What we’re seeing right now is a period of real strength for golf in Australia,” he said. “ Participation continues to climb, fan interest is at record levels, and major events like the Australian Open are attracting strong interest from government and commercial partners because they drive the visitor economy and provide brand exposure across the globe.
“Here in Victoria, we’ve built a strong partnership with Visit Victoria and the Victorian Government, and the Sandbelt continues to be a magnet for the world’s best players. We’re incredibly excited about returning to Kingston Heath next year, with Rory McIlroy already locked in, and we expect that to be another step-up again.
We are fortunate to have states and territories that see the value of hosting national championships and other golf tournaments and will continue to explore all opportunities.”
Securing the Australian Open beyond 2026 would be a victory for the Victorian government given their South Australian counterparts have made the astute move of locking in the highly popular LIV Adelaide tournament through 2031. And, as reported by News Corp, the New South Wales government is interested in securing the Australian PGA Championship, which recently held the last edition at Royal Queensland before the Brisbane course prepares for renovations ahead of hosting the 2032 Olympic golf tournament.
Golf tourism in Victoria contributed $1.3 billion to the state’s economy in 2024.
Premier Jacinta Allan’s government secured the McIlroy/Victoria combination for two years, to add to its stable of sporting events including golf’s 2028 and 2040 Presidents Cups, as well as NBA games, the Australian Open tennis, Formula 1, Boxing Day Test and AFL Grand Final.
Earlier this year, the American NFL also announced it will stage its first ever regular season game in Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2026, with the Los Angeles Rams confirmed to be one of the teams.
Keeping world-class golf in the public eye in Melbourne between the 2026 Australian Open and 2028 Presidents Cup will be seen as an important move.
