logo
Rory is getting millions to play in Australia. This is why it's worth it

Rory is getting millions to play in Australia. This is why it's worth it

The Age21-07-2025
Portrush, Northern Ireland: The boss of golf's European Tour has likened Rory McIlroy's upcoming visit to play the Australian Open to when Tiger Woods flew Down Under to play in Australia's marquee events more than a decade ago.
Woods won the Australian Masters in 2009 at Kingston Heath – where his scorecard remains mounted on the clubhouse wall – then returned a year later but was unable to hunt down Stuart Appleby at Victoria Golf Club.
McIlroy, now 36, has not played at the Open since 2014 when he was unable to defend the title he'd won in 2013 by outlasting Adam Scott. Eleven years on, he returns as a five-time major winner, and is being paid upwards of $3 million by the Victorian government, according to two industry sources who wouldn't comment publicly because of the confidential nature of the contract.
McIlroy finished the British Open at Portrush on Sunday tied for seventh, incredibly his 33rd top-10 finish at a major.
European Tour and Ryder Cup CEO Guy Kinnings – a long-time player manager – will be present when McIlroy tees off at Royal Melbourne's globally renowned composite course in the first week of December.
'I remember being there when Tiger came down … and Rory; we've been incredibly lucky. I've lived through an era when we had the biggest athlete on the planet in Tiger, and he transformed the game completely for everyone. I always go, 'everyone should go and shake him by the hand'. He changed the game completely.
'What Rory has done … and can do, for international golf is massive ... he has that same sort of appeal. People get very excited about Rory also. The great thing about Rory is he's his own man, and he's shown that he's going where he wants to go.'
Australian superstars Cameron Smith, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Elvis Smylie are all expected to play the Open alongside McIlroy, with announcements expected in the near future.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism
‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism

Sydney Morning Herald

time4 hours ago

  • Sydney Morning Herald

‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism

The AFL says Thursday night football is here to stay, as the league's free-to-air broadcaster declared it wanted the most compelling games all season long in the timeslot, which has been dogged by one-sided contests this year. League chief executive Andrew Dillon on Tuesday defended the key slot but promised he would push for a wider spread of teams playing on Thursday nights next season. Thursday night football was embraced for a full season for the first time this year. Declaring that move a success, Dillon said the timeslot had delivered an average TV audience of 1.06 million viewers – up one per cent on last year – and average attendance of 40,000 – four per cent lower than last year's 42,000. 'Thursday nights have averaged above the season average, so that's a tick. Thursday nights have rated extremely well, but what I think is important is that we have a spread of teams that play through those different slots, so absolutely we will take that on board,' Dillon said from the sidelines of the inaugural AFL industry summit at Marvel Stadium. 'We have evolved the fixture over the last couple of years with the floating fixture, which is not always as popular with all of our fans. But we think that is one important part. Loading 'Maybe this year is a bit of an outlier in terms of the teams that were selected earlier on, some big Victorian teams, who were in pretty solid form at the time the floating fixture was put in. That hasn't come to fruition. 'Again, the games are still rating pretty well, are still pretty well attended, but we will take on the feedback from fans, broadcasters and our clubs as we look to the 2026 fixture.' The past two months in the heart of winter and the school year have been a hard sell for the timeslot, broadcasters Seven and Foxtel not helped by the disappointing campaigns of power clubs Carlton (six Thursday night games so far this season) and Essendon (five). The two clubs are also likely to meet on a Thursday night in round 24.

‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism
‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism

The Age

time4 hours ago

  • The Age

‘Big winner': AFL chief doubles down on Thursday football despite criticism

The AFL says Thursday night football is here to stay, as the league's free-to-air broadcaster declared it wanted the most compelling games all season long in the timeslot, which has been dogged by one-sided contests this year. League chief executive Andrew Dillon on Tuesday defended the key slot but promised he would push for a wider spread of teams playing on Thursday nights next season. Thursday night football was embraced for a full season for the first time this year. Declaring that move a success, Dillon said the timeslot had delivered an average TV audience of 1.06 million viewers – up one per cent on last year – and average attendance of 40,000 – four per cent lower than last year's 42,000. 'Thursday nights have averaged above the season average, so that's a tick. Thursday nights have rated extremely well, but what I think is important is that we have a spread of teams that play through those different slots, so absolutely we will take that on board,' Dillon said from the sidelines of the inaugural AFL industry summit at Marvel Stadium. 'We have evolved the fixture over the last couple of years with the floating fixture, which is not always as popular with all of our fans. But we think that is one important part. Loading 'Maybe this year is a bit of an outlier in terms of the teams that were selected earlier on, some big Victorian teams, who were in pretty solid form at the time the floating fixture was put in. That hasn't come to fruition. 'Again, the games are still rating pretty well, are still pretty well attended, but we will take on the feedback from fans, broadcasters and our clubs as we look to the 2026 fixture.' The past two months in the heart of winter and the school year have been a hard sell for the timeslot, broadcasters Seven and Foxtel not helped by the disappointing campaigns of power clubs Carlton (six Thursday night games so far this season) and Essendon (five). The two clubs are also likely to meet on a Thursday night in round 24.

Harley Reid: Rival clubs crunching the numbers as speculation mounts over West Coast Eagles star's future
Harley Reid: Rival clubs crunching the numbers as speculation mounts over West Coast Eagles star's future

West Australian

time4 hours ago

  • West Australian

Harley Reid: Rival clubs crunching the numbers as speculation mounts over West Coast Eagles star's future

Rival clubs are crunching the numbers on what a potential offer for Harley Reid would take in order to pry him out of West Coast. The Eagles confirmed Reid's season is over following an ankle injury in the western derby loss to Fremantle on Saturday but it hasn't slowed any speculation over the 20-year-old's future. Essendon are among the Victorian rivals showing strong interested in the gun midfielder, while it's understood Reid's management has presented counter-offers to the Eagles that could make him one of the AFL's highest-paid players. Leading Channel 7 analyst Caroline Wilson said Reid's advisers were 'holding the West Coast Eagles to ransom'. 'I don't think it is going to do him any good at all to stay at West Coast on a $2 million long-term contract or go to another club on big money,' Wilson told The Agenda Setters on Monday night. 'Particularly when he is not performing as that sort of player yet. It's crazy.' Wilson doubled down on an earlier call Essendon had been scared out of the race for Reid's signature, given the huge sum and commitment involved. 'My clear understanding after talking to Essendon over several weeks is that they are shocked by the sort of money that has been asked for Harley Reid,' Wilson said. 'They were told unless you are interested to go north of $1.5 million over as much as 10 years, we are not going to deal with you. 'Maybe there is another game at play here that I am missing. Maybe people are feeding me the wrong information but I don't think they are. 'I don't think Essendon are prepared to pay close to $2 million for Harley Reid.' It follows a denial from Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo that the Bombers had tapped out of the race. 'We had a bit of laugh the other day when all that come out,' Vozzo said. 'I didn't realise until 24 hours later so I personally rang (Reid's manager) Nick Gieschen to apologise to be honest. I was quite embarrassed when I read those comments. It is certainly not true.' Reid's camp this month presented counter-proposals to the Eagles which include one worth an estimated $24 million over 11 years. Hawthorn, Geelong and the Bombers were among the clubs reportedly willing to offer Reid long-term deals worth more than $2 million a season. Hawks coach Sam Mitchell has met with Gieschen but said this week $2 million for one player would make it a 'little bit more difficult'. 'If I'm really honest I actually don't know. I don't have anything to do with the financial stuff. It doesn't seem right for us. At some point that's going to happen isn't it? Whether it's in this CBA or the next one, but the money in the game continues to go up,' Mitchell said. 'The average salary continues to be higher and higher and higher and as they should be. Everyone wants to play the game and the spectacle of what we're putting on at the moment is pretty good. I think the players deserve what they're getting, it's just how you attribute that. 'With our midfield as an example, being pretty workmanlike and making sure that we're consistent across the board. If you're putting $2 million into one player, that makes it a little bit more difficult of course.' Gieschen recently returned from a trip to Perth, which included discussions over Reid's future with West Coast. It comes as Reid's second AFL season ended four games early, with West Coast confirming their rising star will miss the final month with an ankle injury. Reid offered hope to West Coast fans in an Instagram post that he may be planning to stay with the WA club, saying 'not how I wanted the season to end' before adding: 'We'll keep building together.' Reid was helped off the field late in Saturday's 49-point loss to Fremantle after he injured his ankle in a tackle. Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley told his fellow On The Couch panellists on Fox Footy on Monday night: 'I personally don't think that is a decision West Coast should make.' 'If you're being held to ransom in some shape or form by this player for that amount of money, that means you're probably going to get two or three first-rounders back. Maybe that depth is going to be better for you than a Harley Reid,' he said. Jack Riewoldt added: 'Is there enough evidence to suggest he's the character? He's had one (full) pre-season and, by all reports, has come back in shape that isn't of an AFL standard. We constantly have conversations about him being hot-headed — and the caveat is he's young and learning — are you willing to risk $24 million on that?' But four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis said there was 'a soft spot for me for players like Harley'. 'He is a player we think will be generational. I'd be staggered if they lost him,' Lewis said of West Coast.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store