The 2025 Australian Open is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated tournaments in recent memory. The highlight of the event will be the appearance of this year’s Masters champion Rory McIlroy, who will be returning to Australia for the first time since 2014, in a landmark moment for the tournament, which is sponsored by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australia and DP World Tour.
Here’s what you need to know, who’s playing and how to watch every Royal Melbourne match.
When is 2025? Australian Open?
The 2025 Australian Open will be held from Thursday 4th December to Sunday 7th December, with practice days on Monday and Tuesday and the official tournament Pro-Am on Wednesday.
Where is the Australian Open held?
This year’s championship will be held at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the first time since 1991, using an iconic composite course consisting of holes from the West and East courses, which are ranked in the top 10 in Australia. Royal Melbourne also played host to the Presidents Cup in 1998, 2011 and 2019.
Was it always played here?
No, the Australian Open rotates between venues and traditionally travels between major cities. Last year it was held at Kingston Heath, which will be the home of the Open again in 2026.
Where can I watch it? australian open?
The 2025 Australian Open will be broadcast on Channel 9, Fox Sports and Kayo in Australia.
What time is tea time?
McIlroy will join Australians Adam Scott and Minwoo Lee in a marquee group from the 10th tee at 7:05 a.m. Thursday. The trio will then depart from the first tee the next day at 12:05 p.m. Weekend tee times usually start a little later, with leaders leaving in the mid-afternoon.
Click here to see the complete order of play for rounds 1 and 2.
What day is the final round of the Australian Open?
The final round will be held on Sunday, December 7th, with the final group expected to finish around 5pm, depending on the weather and of course the pace of play.
What’s the weather forecast for this week?
This week is very Melbourne, so expect everything. Conditions are perfect on Thursday, with a high of 31 degrees and sunny skies. Temperatures will drop until around 11pm on Friday, but it will remain sunny. A chance of light rain on Saturday, dropping until around 6pm on Sunday. And then again…this is Melbourne, so take all of this with a grain of salt.
Why is Rory McIlroy playing at the Australian Open?
The Northern Irishman and world number two has decided to play the Australian Open for the next two years. The five-time major champion, who completed a career Grand Slam this year by winning the Masters, will be returning for the first time since defending the Stonehaven Cup the following year, when he faced Adam Scott in 2013 and was ultimately crowned champion.
McIlroy, who once dubbed golf’s fifth major, said in a statement: “I’m proud to be hosting the Australian Open for the next two years, especially in the world-class Melbourne Sandbelt, where I’ve always wanted to play professionally.
“The success of the Australian Open is important to the global sport and I believe the Australian Open will continue to thrive this year, especially as it will be held over the next two years in one of the world’s greatest sporting cities and two of the world’s finest golf courses, Royal Melbourne Golf Club and Kingston Heath Golf Club.”
“Melbourne is known as one of the world’s great sporting cities and I can’t wait to become part of that atmosphere and enjoy all that Melbourne has to offer on and off the course.”
McIlroy is perhaps the most famous player in world golf and his presence in Melbourne has generated significant interest in this year’s tournament.
How many times did Rory play for Australia?
McIlroy first came to Australia in 2005 as a newcomer to the scene. At the age of 16, he competed in the Australian Masters, an annual tournament held in Huntingdale, Melbourne, and returned Down Under in 2013 with a win at the Royal Sydney Open. He then returned to defend his title in 2014, but was no match for the current two-time champion, American Jordan Spieth.
Who are the other big names competing at Royal Melbourne?
In addition to McIlroy, there are other strong players such as Australians Adam Scott, Cameron Smith, Minwoo Lee and Marc Leishman, as well as strong international players such as LIV star Joaquin Niemann, Carlos Ortiz, Sebastian Munoz, Josele Ballester, and DP World Tour favorites Marco Penge, Victor Perez, Jordan Smith, Yannick Paul, Richie Ramsey and Manuel. Elvira.
Who has the most Australian Open wins?
A handful of the sport’s greatest athletes have dominated the event over various eras. The tournament’s all-time record belongs to Gary Player, who won the Australian Open an astonishing seven times over three decades (1958, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1969, 1970, and 1974). Just behind him is fellow legend Jack Nicklaus, who won six titles (1964, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1976, 1978), but most The most decorated Australian champion is Greg Norman, a five-time winner over 16 years (1980, 1985, 1987, 1995 and 1996).
Who won last year’s Australian Open?
American Riggs Johnston shot a 4-under 68 in the final round at Kingston Heath, clinching a nerve-wracking victory at the 2024 Stonehaven Cup. But he won’t be on the field in Melbourne this year.
What is the Stonehaven Cup?
The Stonehaven Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the Australian Open. The tournament first began in 1904, but it wasn’t until 1930 that an official trophy was awarded for the championship. It is named after Baron Stonehaven, Governor-General of Australia from 1925 to 1930 (and also an avid golfer).
australian open prize money
As confirmed by Golf Australia, the minimum prize money for the 2025 Australian Open will be A$2 million, with prize money distributed across the leaderboard in line with PGA Tour of Australia regulations.
Did you know?
Starting this year, the winner of the Australian Open will receive an invitation to next year’s Masters Tournament as part of Augusta National’s new move to give Masters spots to the winners of six historic Australian Open tournaments.
“These six Open Championships are historic championships around the world, which we and The R&A recently recognized in a joint statement,” chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement earlier this year. “International competition has always been a big part of the Masters Tournament. The international roster has grown over the years to the point where we now have almost 50-50 international players, and maybe even a few more. So we thought it would be appropriate to continue that tradition and culture that we established at the Masters.”
This qualification change also includes the Scottish Open, South African Open, Spanish Open, Japan Open and Hong Kong Open.
