IT might be classed as nitpicking trying to find or point out negatives when it comes to the last month’s Australian Open.
Crowd figures on the final day were posted as 33,400, adding up to over 112,000 for the week – eclipsing the 102,000 who attended LIV Adelaide early in 2025.
And before anyone counters saying LIV is only three tournament days, not four, their numbers include those who turn up to watch the post-event concerts featuring Fisher, Dom Dalla and the like.
Millions watched the Open on Fox Sports, Kayo and Channel 9, while the broadcast went all over the world.
There was some amazing golf played throughout the week, around a Royal Melbourne course which was as much the star of the show as the players it challenged.
All respect to the winner, Rasmus Neerguard-Peterson, who looks like a good one ready to tackle the PGA TOUR in 2026, however the icing on the cake would have been a Cam Smith win.
If looking to turn his loss into a positive, Cam played some of the golf we’ve come to expect from him. Let’s hope he can build on his result at Royal after a disappointing 2025 by his lofty standards.
Rory McIlroy was obviously the star attraction, and while he didn’t feature on Saturday and Sunday, those who saw him dig deep late on Friday afternoon to make it to the weekend were suitably impressed.
All the leading Aussies turned up, barring one notable absentee, there were 12 members of LIV and a bunch of young European DP World Tour stars.
It won’t be on the same scale, but everything points towards a successful Women’s Australian Open in Adelaide in March, an event hopefully headlined by homegrown stars Minjee, Grace, Hannah and Steph, and maybe Nelly Korda who is on some of the pre-event promotional material.
But and I hate to say it, the job is only ALMOST done.
Rory brought it up in pre and post tournament interviews, the date clash is a concern.
The Nedbank Challenge, boasting prizemoney of US$6million (I’ll get to that) is South Africa’s “major” and was played the same week as our Open.
So too the limited field Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, an event hosted by Tiger Woods. It’s hard to say no to Tiger when he asks you to play.
Three big tournaments played the same week, diminishes the opportunity to attract a high profile supporting cast to play alongside the likes or Rory and the leading Aussies.
“There needs to be conversations had with people much more important than me that set the schedules and do all that sort of stuff,” Rory reasoned.
“Hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that accommodates everyone, and everyone can at least have the option to come down and play.”
DP World Tour member Richard Mansell was left frustrated by having to choose between playing in either Australia or South Africa.
“Grateful to be down here in SA at the Nedbank, but how good does the Australian Open look?” Mansell posted.
Marco Penge, who pushed Rory all the way in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai, played in the PGA at Royal Queensland, but chose the richer of the two events, headed for South Africa and skipped the Australian Open.
Surprise 2024 winner Ryggs Johnston played at Sun City rather than defend at Royal Melbourne.
Which brings up point two: the Australian Open purse of $2million was well short of what was on offer in South Africa and the US$5m at Tiger’s 20-man event.
In placing 33rd at Sun City, Ryggs collected around US$48,000, while to earn similar at the Australian Open he would have needed a top 10 finish.
As far as prizemoney goes, we need to do better.
And while it is onwards and upwards as the Open moves to Rory’s “favourite” track Kingston Heath later this year, what happens after that? Big championships lock in venues years in advance, do we need to do the same?
People are saying, “Let’s return to Royal Melbourne.” Has anyone talked to their members about that? Undoubtedly a great venue, however hosting Australian Open’s is a big inconvenience to members who pay top dollar to play there.
So, credit where it is due, excellent work by all concerned this time around and we look forward to the girls doing battle at Kooyonga in the New Year.
The 2025 Australian Open and Royal Melbourne showcased Australian golf around the world, but where to next?
The job is almost done.
An amateur standout, winning the NSW Amateur and Australian Medal in 1988, before going down in the final of the 1990 Australian Amateur Championship, Rob Willis turned professional in 1992, playing the Australasian and Asian Tours, with his highlight being his victory in the 1995 Dubai Creek Open and third placing at the European Tour's Dubai Dessert Classic. A former Editor of Golf Australia Magazine, Willis, who ventured away from golf for a period to be the media manager for the NRL's Cronulla Sharks, has been a contributor to PGA Australia's PGA Magazine for over a decade and for Inside Golf since its first edition back in 2005. 
