Rory McIlroy is the biggest draw at the DP World Tour’s Australian Open in Melbourne this week.
The tournament has a rich history, having been won by several legendary golfers, including Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.
However, the world’s best players have often overlooked the event recently, something McIlroy hopes to change by making an appearance.
One PGA Tour winner has now admitted that he wants to make the most of the occasion by playing alongside the world number two.
Karl Vilips wants to play with Rory McIlroy for the first time
The likes of Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee, and Cameron Smith are better known, but Karl Vilips is another excellent Australian player.
The 24-year-old won his first PGA Tour event in only his fourth start at the Puerto Rico Open earlier this year.
Vilips will now be hoping to impress his home supporters at the Australian Open this week and would love to do so alongside McIlroy.
The Golfing Gazette’s Australian Open predictions
Jordan Harris: Daniel Hillier has been knocking on the door for some time on the DP World Tour, agonisingly falling short of earning a PGA Tour card for 2026. The Kiwi has a fantastic chance of securing the biggest victory of his career to date. 🏌️♂️
James Shearman: Rory McIlroy was only a few strokes away from winning the Abu Dhabi Championship and the DP World Tour Championship last month, so he’s still in excellent form. Also, he will not face the same competition as in the UAE, so a similar performance will probably be enough for victory in Australia. 💰️
Peter Lynch: Rory McIlroy should be well rested and fully recovered after a busy spell, and he’s definitely got the game to outclass the rest of the field this week. ⛳️
Charlie Walker: No need to overthink this one! Rory McIlroy has been threatening to pick up yet another impressive win in recent months, and this time around, I expect him to be the class of the field and win another Australian Open. 🏆️
“I’ve never actually played with Rory, but I’ve watched him hit plenty of balls on the range,” Vilips said before the tournament, via GOLF.com.au.
“To be able to compete with him on Sunday would be a treat and an awesome experience.
“He’s one of the best in the world, and you don’t get to compete against players like him every day.”
McIlroy has been put with Lee and Scott for the first two rounds, so Vilips will have to play his way into the Northern Irishman’s group at the weekend.
Aussie golfers claim this year’s Australian Open is more ‘special’
The Aussie contingent at the Australian Open this week has expressed that a victory this week would mean even more than in previous years.
That’s because the tournament is being held at the iconic Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the first time since 1991.
Marc Leishman explained: “It’s been a long time coming, but I’m certainly excited to be at Royal Melbourne for the Australian Open.
Who do you think will win the Australian Open?
“It’s one that I’ve wanted to win since I started watching golf, so it would be a nice place to get my first one.”
Meanwhile, Australian Lucas Herbert shared similar thoughts: “It’s such a special tournament, and it’s what we watched so much of when we were kids, getting into the game here in Australia.
“It’d be really special, and it’s awesome to be back here at Royal Melbourne.”
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