Neergaard-Petersen Wins Australian Open in Final-Hole Thriller

The Australian Open delivered a thrilling finish at Royal Melbourne, as Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen captured his first DP World Tour title with a one-shot victory over Cameron Smith.

The final round produced a tense duel: Neergaard-Petersen started with a two-shot lead but bogeys early allowed Smith to catch him. The two traded the lead on the back nine, each birdied the 17th to set up a dramatic finish on the last hole. Neergaard-Petersen then produced a composed up-and-down for par, while Smith three‑putted for bogey on the final green.

Neergaard-Petersen, 26, carded a final-round 70 to finish 15-under for the tournament at Royal Melbourne.

“From the outside I may have looked calm, but inside it was a storm all day,” Neergaard-Petersen said. “I’m really at a loss for words after such a battle.”

Leaderboard snapshot

South Korea’s Si Woo Kim finished solo third on 13-under, with Australia’s Michael Hollick and Aaron Scott rounding out the top five on 12- and 11-under respectively. In the wider field, former world number one Rory McIlroy ended several shots back as the season drew to a close.

McIlroy urges schedule rethink

World number two Rory McIlroy called on event organizers to reposition the Australian Open on the calendar to attract a stronger field next year. He noted the clash with three other tournaments during the same week and emphasized that scheduling decisions should involve the people who set the calendar. World number one Scottie Scheffler chose to play in the Hero World Challenge in New York instead.

McIlroy reflected on a standout season that included a Masters title, another Race to Dubai crown, and a successful Ryder Cup defense, adding that he plans downtime to reflect on an incredible year.

Expert comment

Analysts say the final showed how crucial scheduling can be for fields at flagship events, with players weighing travel and competing priorities. McIlroy underscored the need for alignment among tournaments to help stronger fields arrive in Melbourne next year.

Short summary

The Australian Open culminated in a dramatic finish as Neergaard-Petersen secured his first DP World Tour title with a clutch par on the final hole. He edged Cameron Smith by one stroke after a tight back nine, sparking talks about scheduling the event to attract a deeper field in 2025. McIlroy’s season ended on a high with a Masters victory and Ryder Cup success, leaving him to enjoy a well-deserved break.

Key insight: A tight, nerves-tested finale underscores how strong mental composure can clinch a major-like win, even when rivals push hard on the final hole. BBC Sport