Summary
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen was crowned Australian Open champion, securing his first major professional title. His victory came on Sunday, December 7, 2025, when he made par on the final hole, dashing the hopes of local favorite Cam Smith, who was seeking his first win in over two years. Both players entered the 72nd hole tied at 15 under par after a thrilling back-nine battle. Neergaard-Petersen's tee shot was poor, leading to a tricky rough, while Smith reached the green on his second shot but faced a long downhill putt.
Neergaard, as he has shown throughout the week, made par, while Smith missed his birdie putt and then also missed a 1.5-meter putt that would have forced a playoff.
The 26-year-old Dane finished with a 15-under-par 269, after rounds of 67, 66, 66, and 70. Smith, who began the final round two strokes behind the leader, drew level on the course and took the lead after sinking a 10-foot birdie putt on the 10th. However, after a birdie on the 11th, he bogeyed the 12th and was tied with Neergaard-Petersen at 13-under-par. The tension remained until the final hole, where Smith's mistake handed Neergaard a career-changing victory.
Key details
Neergaard-Petersen said: «It’s tough. I’m really speechless. It’s been a battle all day. From the outside you might look calm, but inside it’s been a storm all day. I managed to keep fighting and make that putt on the last hole. I don’t know what else to say, really.».
Cam Smith, the 2022 British Open champion, had broken a streak of seven missed cuts the previous Friday. On Saturday, he shot a 66 to move into second place, two strokes behind the leader. Smith said it was "nice to be in contention" going into the final round, adding, "It's been a while since I've had this feeling, and I love that it's at the Australian Open. I couldn't think of a better place to get back to my best.".
Although Smith has won the Australian PGA Championship twice, he has yet to capture the Stonehaven Cup as champion of his home tournament. His last victory was at the LIV tournament in Bedminster, England, in August 2022, and his previous top-10 finish was in July. Rory McIlroy, who carded a total of 11 bogeys over the four days, was not in contention. In the final round, the Northern Irishman finished with a 69, including five birdies and three bogeys, to tie for tenth place.
Statements and context
McIlroy, who won the Masters this year and completed his Grand Slam, made his first appearance at the Australian Open since 2015, where he was crowned champion in 2013. After his final round, he called for a more favorable schedule to attract more top players. Although he considers sandbelt courses very appealing, the current schedule makes it difficult for the best international players to come.
«I would love to see more players come and play, but it’s complicated with three tournaments on the schedule this week,» McIlroy said, referring to the date clash with Tiger Woods« Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas and the DP World Tour’s Nedbank Challenge in South Africa. »Conversations need to be held with higher-ups than me who set the schedules, and hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that works for everyone.”.
The winner of the Australian Open, the second event on the European Tour's revised schedule for later this year and 2026, earns an exemption for next year's Masters. In addition, the top three players not already exempt—Michael Hollick, Adam Scott, and Si Woo Kim—have qualified for the 2026 British Open at Royal Birkdale.
