Rory McIlroy’s arrival at the Australian Open completely changed the atmosphere. Fans skipped school and work to see him play at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. In fact, the Northern Irishman praised the event as livelier and more engaging than many others he has played in. But it wasn’t like that always.

“It’s funny back in the dark old days. I’ll tell you which tournament didn’t look after us the best, and that was the Australian Open,” Mark Allen revealed on the Talk Birdie To Me podcast.

“This is back in the dark old days of the AGU [Australian Golf Union]. We used to laugh as pros every year we’d play the Australian Open. It was the worst-run event of the year because it was the amateurs running the event. So we’d get very different pin placements. It was just really strange.”

The amateurs dominated the early winners. This included Michael Scott in 1904 and 1907, and Ivo Whitton, who won five times between 1912 and 1931. This reflects that the event’s roots were in amateur governance and limited professional infrastructure. Even the funding relied on gate money until the mid-1960s. All in all, the organization offered modest prize money and poor amenities. Combined with inconsistent pin placements and poor course setups, as highlighted by Mark Allen.

In 2002, for example, the first round of the Australian Open at Victoria Golf Club was cancelled. This was a result of the greens becoming unplayable despite perfect weather. The greens were not holding the ball. Richard Ball putted past the cup four times, just for the ball to roll back 20 feet. Thus, some of the golfers refused to continue, leading to the cancellation.

However, Mark Allen acknowledged that the days have changed for one of Rory McIlroy’s favorite events. “Now that’s all changed, and they’ve got a great relationship with each other and now the PGA tour,” Mark Allen said.

The AGU managed the Australian Open until merging with the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) in 2005. They formed Golf Australia, which now owns and runs the tournament as Australia’s flagship pro event on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

They successfully secured Rory McIlroy to play in the 2026 Crown Australian Open as he is returning after a 11-year hiatus. However, his participation in the event drew criticism after news about his appearance fee came to light. As per reports, he received $2 million from the Australian government for this partnership and commitment to play. But McIlroy thinks that the Australian Open now has so much potential that he has even committed to returning in 2026.

Top Stories

Golf Veteran, 62, Sparks Debate With Shock Move to Reclaim PGA Tour Status

Pebble Beach Looks Unrecognizable as Harsh Weather Destroys Iconic Golf Course

PGA Tour Quietly Alters One of Its Most Controversial Rules before 2026 season

Kai Trump Undergoes Critical Surgery Right Before Kicking Off College Golf Career

LIV Golf Launches Strict New Rules for Pros as Jon Rahm Makes His Feelings Clear

Rory McIlroy’s commitment to the Australian Open

When playing at the Australian Open, the career Grand Slam winner said that it has more potential than the Hero World Challenge and the NedBank Golf Challenge. All three events were scheduled from December 4 to December 7, 2025. But for Rory McIlroy, the Australian Open had the best environment.

“That scene on the first tee was amazing. Then, walking up the last and everyone is still here. I’ve always said it, but that’s the potential this country has to have these really, really big events,” Rory McIlroy told Evin Priest of the Australian Golf Digest.

“The other two events happening in other places of the world have nothing like the atmosphere this tournament has. It has so much potential and it’s great to see so many people come out and support the tournament.”

The Tiger Woods-hosted Hero World Challenge featured the most top-ranked elite golfers in the world. But despite that, the crowd at Royal Melbourne was much larger than that in the Bahamas. McIlroy will be returning to play the Australian Open next year, too. He committed to playing the event for two years, and next time, he will aim to win the Stonehaven Cup.

Rory McIlroy’s experience at Royal Melbourne highlights how far the Australian Open has come. From its uneven past, it has now become a player-driven, fan-focused championship.