MELBOURNE: Back-to-back Masters champion Rory McIlroy will return to Australia in December to compete in the 2026 Capital .Com Australian Open, adding further international star power to one of the country’s premier golf championships.
The tournament is scheduled for December 3–6 at Kingston Heath Golf Club on Melbourne’s famous Sandbelt. McIlroy’s return forms part of his previously confirmed two-year commitment to the Australian Open.
Golf Australia confirmed that McIlroy will again be among the headline attractions after competing at last year’s championship at Royal Melbourne. The Northern Irishman has also won the Australian Open, claiming the title at Royal Sydney in 2013.
The 2026 championship is expected to feature a strong international and Australian field, with major champions and leading players joining McIlroy at Kingston Heath.
Golf Australia has also announced a major partnership with Capital.com, which has become the title partner of the Australian Open. The organisation said the partnership will support improvements to tournament infrastructure, spectator facilities and the overall fan experience.
Kingston Heath will also present a new championship routing for the 2026 tournament, including a new first-tee location.
The Australian Open is being co-sanctioned through the strategic relationship between the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, giving the championship an important place in the international professional golf calendar.
For Australian golf fans, the return of McIlroy provides another opportunity to watch one of the world’s leading players compete on the Melbourne Sandbelt.
The 2026 Capital.com Australian Open will run from December 3 to 6 at Kingston Heath Golf Club.
Reported By: Our Correspondent I Melbourne
