The Open de Australia takes a new step forward in its ambitious aim to re-establish itself among the major tournaments of world golf. Golf Australia announced on Tuesday an agreement with the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour that guarantees the continued co-organisation of the championship until 2029 and, moreover, marks the formal entry of the US circuit as a strategic partner of the tournament for the first time in its history
The new agreement will cover the 2027, 2028 and 2029 editions and will allow the Capital.com Australian Open to remain on the calendar of the DP World Tour and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. The alliance comes at a moment of growth for the tournament and aims to boost its international relevance further through an increase in the prize fund, a better position within the global calendar and an enhanced ability to attract some of the leading figures in golf
Specific details about the rise in prize money and the tournament’s new strategic position will be announced during the 2026 edition, which will again feature the presence of Rory McIlroy, winner of the last two Masters. The Northern Irishman will once more be one of the main draws of an event that will open the DP World Tour season alongside the BMW Australian PGA Championship
The involvement of the PGA Tour in the project represents one of the most significant moves undertaken by Golf Australia in recent years. Thanks to this collaboration, members of the US circuit will find it easier to compete in the tournament, thereby strengthening the integration of the Open australian within the international scene
James Sutherland, chief executive of Golf Australia, did not hide the scale of the ambitions surrounding the championship. “Our ambition is clear. We want the Open de Australia to be recognised as one of the ten most prestigious tournaments in the world”, he said. The executive recalled that the championship, whose history dates back to 1904, is already one of the great national golf competitions, but believes it still has room to continue growing
The agreement adds to other strategic moves recently driven by Golf Australia, such as the partnership with Capital.com as title sponsor and the confirmation that the revamped North Adelaide Golf Course will host three editions of the tournament between 2028 and 2034. All of this forms part of a global plan to strengthen the prestige and international projection of the championship
The DP World Tour particularly welcomed the continuation of one of the most traditional national opens on the schedule. Ben Cowen, director of tournaments and operations for the European circuit, recalled that national Opens remain a fundamental part of the tour’s identity and stressed the importance of keeping on the calendar a tournament of the historical standing of the Australian Open
The PGA Tour also expressed its satisfaction with the agreement. Christian Hardy, senior international vice-president of the US circuit, described the Open de Australia as “one of the most prestigious tournaments in world golf” and highlighted the long-standing interest that American players have always shown in competing in Australia
The news has also been welcomed enthusiastically by the PGA of Australia and the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Its chief executive, Gavin Kirkman, described the Australian Open as “the showcase of Australian golf” and emphasised that a strong tournament benefits the entire golf ecosystem of the country, from local professionals to major international events
With the joint backing of Golf Australia, the DP World Tour and now also the PGA Tour, the Open de Australia appears determined to consolidate a new phase of growth. The objective is ambitious: to turn one of the oldest national championships in the world into a global reference capable of competing in prestige with the most important tournaments on the international calendar
