[Main photo by Stephen Denton]
Rory McIlroy’s breakthrough win at the 2025 Masters didn’t just etch his name into golfing immortality — it also delivered a $76,500 bonanza for Australian club golfers who took a punt on the Northern Irishman through an audacious tour company promotion.
In the lead-up to Augusta, Australian golf travel company Go Golfing threw out a bold offer: book your dream golf holiday and get 25 percent off if Rory wins the Masters.
It was a tempting proposition. McIlroy was joint-favourite heading into the tournament, but with the pressure of a long-awaited Grand Slam looming, few would have called it a sure thing.
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Still, Aussie golf lovers backed Rory with their wallets. By the time Tom Watson, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus officially kicked off Masters week as honorary starters, 103 hopefuls had locked in more than $306,000 worth of golf holidays via Go Golfing.
Then came the drama. McIlroy battled his way through a roller-coaster four rounds before clinching victory in a sudden-death playoff against Justin Rose — earning his first green jacket and completing the coveted career Grand Slam. But while Rory banked $USD4.2 million in prizemoney, it was Go Golfing’s clients that truly cashed in.
The win triggered massive savings — some as high as $8,700 for a couple on a European golf cruise — while dozens more saw a quarter of their holiday balance wiped clean on trips to destinations like Barnbougle, the Gold Coast, Fiji, Thailand, Vietnam, South Africa, Japan, and beyond.
“Like so many golfers, our team loves The Masters,” says Go Golfing managing director Peter McCarthy. “Waking up early, glued to the TV, is a great tradition for golf lovers in our region. So, we love coming up with promotions to engage the Go Golfing community. This year our loyal travellers were certainly richly rewarded for Rory’s win.”
This isn’t the first time Go Golfing has backed a champion. Last year, their Masters promo saw 292 golfers rewarded with a $500 travel gift card for picking Scottie Scheffler. But the Rory-led promotion was easily their boldest yet — and ultimately, a costly one.
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“Lots of couples, friends and social groups booked local holidays, and they’ll be pleased when we send a revised statement with a quarter of their balance removed,” McCarthy added.
Go Golfing runs golf tournaments, small group tours, cruises and bespoke holidays to 34 countries — for golfers, non-golfers and solo travellers alike. With McIlroy now part of golf’s most exclusive club, he’s also the unlikely hero of an Aussie golfing community enjoying the spoils of their Masters pick.
As for Go Golfing? They may have taken a hit, but the buzz from this promo has been priceless.
“Offering 25 percent off if Rory wins has proven very costly but we’ve made many golfers and their partners very happy,” says McCarthy. “The things we do for love..”
