Australian Open 2025: Marvelous McIlroy a great bet at 6/1

• Rory McIlroy looking to shine at Royal Melbourne

• Read my Nedbank Golf Challenge preview here

• Read my Hero World Challenge preview here

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Tournament History

The oldest and most prestigious event on the PGA Tour of Australia, the Australian Open was first staged back in 1904 and since 1930, the winner has been presented with the famous Stonehaven Cup.

Once referred to as the fifth major by Jack Nicklaus, and won by many of the game's greats, the Australian Open isn't quite the high-profile event it once was, although the presence of the world number two Rory McIlroy will certainly add some prestige to this year's renewal.

Having not been played in either 2020 or 2021, the Australian Open returned in 2022 as a co-sanctioned event with the DP World Tour.

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Venue

Royal Melbourne GC, Melbourne, Victoria

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Course Details

Par 71, 7086 yards

Founded way back in 1891, Royal Melbourne is the oldest golf club in Australia.

It's a dune-clad composite course, made up of the East and West courses, with generous fairways and deep, tough bunkers.

The fairways are framed by bracken, sandy waste areas and heather and the greens are fast and large.

Welcome to Royal Melbourne

It's officially #AusOpenGolf week! pic.twitter.com/rzPOS7pc93

-- Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) November 30, 2025

Royal Melbourne staged the Presidents Cup in 1998, 2011 and 2019 and it also hosted the now defunct World Cup of Golf in 2013.

It's staging the Australian Open for the 17^th time this week but it's the first time since Sky's Wayne Riley claimed the title in 1991.

It's an exposed track where scores vary greatly depending on the weather.

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Weather Forecast

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TV Coverage

Live on Sky Sports all four days, starting at 20:00 on Wednesday night in the UK.

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Last Three Tournament Winners with Pre-event Exchange Prices

2022 - Adrian Meronk -14 27.026/1
2023 - Joaquin Niemann -14 (playoff) 15.014/1 
2024 - Ryggs Johnston -18 250.0249/1

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Royal Melbourne Winners this Century

2002 Heineken Classic - Ernie Els -17
2003 Heineken Classic - Ernie Els -15
2004 Heineken Classic - Ernie Els -20
2005 Heineken Classic - Craig Parry -14 (playoff)
2013 Australian Masters - Adam Scott -14
2013 World Cup of Golf - Jason Day and Adam Scott -17

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Look to the Links Stars to Shine

The cream has risen to the top at Royal Melbourne this century and links form has come to the fore.

The Open Championship specialist, Ernie Els, won the now defunct Heineken Classic three years in-row and the man he edged out to win the 2012 Open, Adam Scott, has won here twice.

Scott won the Australian Masters in November 2013 before partnering another player who should have won an Open, Jason Day, two weeks later to an emphatic 10 stroke victory in the now defunct World Cup of Golf.

And another man who traded at odds-on to lift the Claret Jug, Matt Kucher, finished second in both those events.

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Is There an Identikit Winner?

Unlike last week's Australian PGA Championship, which has been dominated by the home contingent, overseas players have a decent record in this event. Seven of the last 10 editions have been won by an overseas player.

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Individual Event Winner's Position at Royal Melbourne with a round to go

2002 Heineken Classic - Ernie Els - led by four
2003 Heineken Classic - Ernie Els - tied seventh, trailing by three
2004 Heineken Classic - Ernie Els - led by eight
2005 Heineken Classic - Craig Parry - second, trailing by one
2013 Australian Masters - Adam Scott - led by four

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In-Play Tactics

After opening rounds of 70 and 72, Ernie Els, who was bidding to win for a fourth time in five starts in 2003, trailed by 10 at halfway in a tie for 37^th.

He was still three adrift with 18 to play but went on to win by one over Peter Lonard, who bogeyed the last, and by one over the third-round leader, Nick Faldo, who's another Open Champion to take to the track.

That was a quite remarkable comeback but every other winner here this century has been up with the pace throughout.

Other than Ernie in 2003, the winners here have all been within four strokes of the lead after round one, as well as the halfway point and they've all been leading or within a stroke of the lead with 18 to play.

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Marvelous McIlroy a great bet

Given how well links form holds up here and that the cream appears to rise to the top around this wonderful layout, I was a bit surprised to see Rory McIlroy open up at as big as 5/16.00.

I'd have happily taken anything over 4/15.00 so I simply had to back him at the boosted 6/17.00 on the Sportsbook and I'm confident he'll contend.

He was a bit disappointing at Wentworth, where he finished 20^th a week after winning the Irish Open, and he didn't get going at the India Championship in October but after a third place finish in the Abu Dhabi Championship and a runners-up finish in the DP World Tour Championship last month, it would be a surprise if he didn't figure here given how well the venue should suit.

It's now 12 years since he won the title for a first time at Royal Sydney, but he hasn't been a frequent visitor.

This is his first appearance since he failed to defend the title in 2014, having sat second and just one adrift at halfway (finished 15^th, beaten by 15!), but he's arrived nice and early this week and he should be raring to go by the time he tees off on Wednesday night in the UK.

Rory McIlroy has arrived in Melbourne #AusOpenGolf pic.twitter.com/1d498uZ1DQ

-- Australian Open (@AusOpenGolf) December 1, 2025

I'm assuming Rory will be assigned a nice early start as the Sky coverage starts as early as 20:00 on Wednesday night but the round two coverage doesn't start until 2:30 on Friday morning.

As highlighted in the Hero World Challenge preview, I like the chances of the pre-event favourite there too, Scottie Scheffler, and I've doubled the pair at combined odds of 14/115.00.

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Now read more Golf tips and previews here

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