In a master stroke for Victoria's major events calendar, Melbourne will be the home of the Men's Australian Open for the next two years with Rory McIlroy headlining, locked in by the Allan Labor Government.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulous this morning joined Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland to announce the 2025 Australian Open will be held at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club on the Melbourne Sandbelt from December 4-7 with next year's tournament at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
Winner of The Masters and five-time major Champion Rory McIlroy will headline a contingent of world-class golfers testing themselves on Melbourne's famed Sandbelt courses.
World number two McIlroy will play in both, challenging for his second Australian Open crown, having first etched his name on the Stonehaven Cup trophy in 2013.
This year's event will be the record-equalling 17th time Royal Melbourne has hosted the men's Australian Open, with players to be challenged across the Composite Course, which includes holes from both the club's East and West courses.
Next year's Open will be the eighth time Kingston Heath has held the tournament, with the course also preparing to host the 2028 Presidents Cup.
The Australian Open has been won by some of golf's all-time greats since its inception in 1904, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Peter Thomson, Greg Norman, Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott.
The deal to host the Open for the next two years, secured through the Victorian Government's Major Events Fund, adds to a pipeline of globally-recognised events including the 2028 and 2040 Presidents Cups, the British and Irish Lions Tour, two NBA pre-season games and the first ever NFL regular season games in Australia.
Golf tourism in Victoria contributed $1.2 billion to the state's economy last year and attracts thousands of visitors - boosting the state's $40 billion tourism economy.
For ticketing information on the men's Australian Open, visit ticketek.com.
As stated by Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos
"This is a major coup - Rory is one of the greatest golfers in history and his desire to come to Melbourne highlights just how brilliant our Sandbelt courses are and why this is one of the great golfing cities of the world."
"These tournaments will be fantastic for our visitor economy, filling hotel rooms, restaurants and cafes and showcasing our state to millions more following on from overseas."
As stated by Masters Winner Rory McIlroy
"I'm proud to be committing to the Australian Open for the next two years, especially with it being played on the world-class Melbourne Sandbelt, somewhere I've always wanted to play professionally."
"Melbourne is known for being one of the world's great sporting cities and I can't wait to be part of that atmosphere and soak in everything it has to offer, both on and off the course."
As stated by Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements
"Hosting the next two men's Australian Opens builds on an incredible lineup of international events which showcase our state to the world and help us build on our record-breaking $40 billion visitor economy."
As stated by Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland
"The Victorian Government truly understands the value that golf brings to the local economy. We appreciate their ongoing support and we look forward to partnering with them again."
