International golf icon Rory McIlroy has sparked conversation on the eve of the Australian Open with a candid and surprising evaluation of the prestigious Royal Melbourne course, despite being a marquee attraction for the event.
A Frank Assessment of Royal Melbourne
The Masters champion and five-time major winner, whose appearance is reportedly backed by over $2 million from the Victorian Labor Government, did not hold back in his pre-tournament remarks. "I don't want the membership to take this badly, but it's probably not the best course in Melbourne," McIlroy stated on Wednesday.
He was quick to follow with high praise, however, placing it firmly "in the top 10 in the world." When pressed on which layout he considered Melbourne's finest, the 36-year-old superstar had a definitive answer: neighbouring Kingston Heath.
Course Nuances and Career Reflections
McIlroy, who last won the Australian Open in 2013 and last competed in 2015, admitted the famed sandbelt course presented unexpected challenges. Having watched events at Royal Melbourne on television, he said he didn't "anticipate how many blind tee shots there were."
"It sort of takes a little bit to figure out. It's certainly not straightforward," he explained, noting the course "probably plays better in a southerly wind." Despite the learning curve, he concluded it was "obviously an amazing golf course" and expressed excitement to compete.
He reflected warmly on his 2013 Australian Open victory at Royal Sydney, where he edged out Adam Scott, calling it a pivotal career moment. "I felt at that point in my career I was at a bit of a crossroads... I really do think that that win at the end of the year was a catalyst for what happened in 2014," McIlroy said, ranking 2014 and 2025 as his two best years.
Championing Australian Golf's Future
Looking beyond this week, McIlroy has already committed to playing the Open next year, which will be held at his preferred Kingston Heath. He used his platform to advocate strongly for the stature of Australian golf, arguing the country is "starved" of top-tier tournaments.
"A market like this with amazing fans and the history that it does have probably deserves more of a consistency of big players and big tournaments," he asserted. He believes the historic Australian Open, in particular, "deserves to be a standalone tournament, a week on its own," rather than clashing with other international events like the Hero World Challenge.
McIlroy's connection to Australian golf runs deep, dating back to appearances as an amateur in 2005 and 2006. He pointed to the success of events like LIV Golf in Adelaide as proof of the public's passion, stating, "it just feels like this country is starved of top-level golf."
