MELBOURNE: With five-times major champion Rory McIlroy leading the field and a return to Royal Melbourne for the first time since 1991, there is a genuine sense of excitement about the 108th playing of the Australian Open. Golf Australia earlier this year dumped the groundbreaking mixed men’s, women’s and all-abilities format that was introduced in 2022, leaving Australia’s oldest and most prestigious tournament once again the sole center of attention.
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The tournament, which these days is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, counts golfing greats Greg Norman, Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player among its former winners.
Masters champion McIlroy already has his name etched on the Stonehaven Cup after beating Adam Scott in a playoff at Royal Sydney in 2013 and the Northern Irishman said he was excited to be back in Australia.
“It hasn’t been a secret that I’ve wanted to come back ... (and) the change in the format, going back to the traditional Australian Open has probably helped,” he told reporters on Wednesday, ahead of Thursday’s opening round.
