Speculation growing Masters champ Rory McIlroy could play in the 2025 Australian Open

There’s no date or course locked in yet for the 2025 Australian Open but speculation is growing that Masters champ Rory McIlroy will be playing.

After heavy criticism from leading players including Cam Smith, Golf Australia officials abandoned the dual-gender format of the Open, which involved the men’s and women’s events being played on the same course at the same time.

Smith said moving it back to a stand-alone event would help lure bigger names to the tournament which could “be the fifth major”.

“I think it lends itself to have a stronger field, having more guys come down here and play the Australian Open and let it be the event it once was,” he said when the format change was confirmed.

But while the events have been split, there’s no confirmed start dates for the 2025 men’s Open, with speculation that the Royal Melbourne composite course will host.

With the historic tournament returning to a stand-alone event in either late November or early December, the door is open for a raft of the world’s best players who end the PGA Tour season in August, before the Ryder Cup.

McIlroy will be a part of what looms as the biggest ever clash between Europe and the US and could follow that with a trip to Australia according to former pro turned commentator Mark Allen.

“As we speak here right now, it’s going to happen,” Allen told the Talk Birdies to me Podcast.

“But we all know in the sporting world that things can change.”

McIlroy is a previous winner of the Australian Open, winning in 2013 when he defeated Adam Scott by a stroke.

He’s often spoken about his love of Royal Melbourne and recently said the tournament, won by the game’s biggest names including Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman, needed to once again be “elevated” to lofty status as part of an elite world tour.

“I think the Australian Open needs to be put up .... it was always a very big tournament in the day and that could be one that could be elevated,” he said.

Golf Australia said there was nothing formal” to confirm as it works through the staging of both the men’s and women’s Opens. “Golf Australia continues to work through the future of the men’s and women’s Australian Opens, with nothing formal to confirm at this point in time,” a statement said.

“We look forward to working with our partners to confirm and announce the future of both events in the coming weeks.”

McIlroy is teeing it up for the second time since his breakthrough win at Augusta at this week’s $30 million Truist Championship in Philadelphia.