McIlroy looking forward to Christmas and "a few glasses of wine" after rounding off "unbelievable year" in Australia

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen is heading to the Masters in 2026. Picture: Golf Australia

Rory McIlroy finished off the greatest season of his career with back-to-back birdies and called for golf's decision makers to carve out a standalone week for the Crown Australian Open.

The Holywood star is a fan of new CEO Brian Rolapp and his vision for a slimmed-down PGA TOUR featuring around 20 events running from the week after the Super Bowl to the end of August, leaving September to January for the rest of the world.

"NFL is king in the States, and it makes sense from an American point of view, but then I think it does let international and global golf shine for five months of the year," McIlroy said.

Record crowds thronged Royal Melbourne to see McIlroy in action, and while the field was weaker than that assembled by Tiger Woods for the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, the rockstar welcome that fans afforded the latest member of the career grand slam club spoke volumes about Australia's hunger for big-time golf.

"Obviously, it's been over 10 years since I played in the Australian Open, and look at the scenes out there this week," McIlroy said after closing with a two-under 69 that left him tied for 14th, eight shots behind Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen on seven under.

"The crowds, the golf course were absolutely incredible. I said at the start of the week, this is a golf tournament that's got so much potential, and I think it showed a little bit of that potential this week."

McIlroy is contracted to play at Kingston Heath next year, but whether Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry or Justin Rose will make the trip remains to be seen.

"Look, obviously I would love to have a few more players come down to play, but again, it's hard when there's three tournaments going on in the schedule this week," he said.

"Again, there needs to be conversations had with people, much more important than me that set the schedules and do all that sort of stuff and hopefully the Australian Open can find a date that accommodates everyone and can at least have the option to come down and play."

He added: "Shane likes to take December off for the most part. He's still splitting his time between Florida and Ireland, and they like to get back to Ireland for Christmas.

"Tommy, I'm not sure. Rosey has had an affiliation with Albany for a long time. He used to live there. That's where Tiger's event is. I'm not sure if this, hopefully the tournaments don't clash again next year.

"I'm not sure how that's going to work out, but I think people seeing the scenes here on TV over the course of the week, it'll definitely pique their interest a little bit more. And I would say that they'll at least be sort of mulling over in their heads whether to make a trip here."

The Masters champion will take time off now before he returns for back-to-back weeks in Dubai in mid-January.

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to a little break," he said. "I've played a pretty heavy schedule post the summer with Irish Open, as you said, Wentworth, Ryder Cup, and then I've sort of been globe-trotting a little bit here the last couple of months.

"I'm excited to have a little bit of downtime and finally reflect on everything, maybe watch a few of the tournaments back.

"I've not really let myself do that too much. So yeah, looking forward to the Christmas break and put the feet up, a few glasses of wine and think back about what an unbelievable year.

It's also been a banner year for Neergaard-Petersen, who shot a one under 70 to claim his maiden DP World Tour title by a shot from Cam Smith on 15-under and an invitation to the Masters.

"It means the world," said the Dane, who earned one of ten PGA TOUR cards without winning a tournament.

"The Masters is the event I've grown up watching so many times, just dreaming of playing it.'

Korea's Si Woo Kim, South Africa's Michael Hollick and home favourite Adam Scott finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively, to qualify for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale.

Meanwhile, Norway's Kristoffer Reitan held off playing partners Jayden Schaper and Dan Bradbury to win the Nedbank Golf Challenge and his second DP World Tour title.

His five-shot overnight lead shrank to just one stroke with three holes to play, but he parred his way home to shoot 72 and win by a shot on 17 under at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City.

Reitan won a cheque for €879,083 while Tom McKibbin earned €71,613 after a 72 left him joint 16th on six under.

Matsuyama wins Hero World Challenge

Hideki Matsuyama won the Hero World Challenge when he closed with an 8-under 64 and then hit a 9-iron to two feet for birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Alex Noren.

AP reported: Matsuyama, who began the year by setting a PGA TOUR record to par by winning at Kapalua, holed out from 116 yards in the 10th fairway for eagle that allowed him to catch Sepp Straka, move past Scottie Scheffler and seize control at Albany Golf Club.

Noren, unable to start his year until May because of a hamstring injury, charged along the back nine and caught Matsuyama with an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 64 to join him at 22-under 266 and force a playoff.

The overtime didn't last long. Matsuyama, known for taking one hand off the club even when the shots work out fine, this time twirled the 9-iron in his hand as he watched it take aim at the flag and plop down a few feet away. Noren's 20-foot birdie attempt slid by on the left.

“It was a perfect distance for me,” Matsuyama said. “Early on the second shot (in regulation), I missed a little to the right. I was going right at it and was able to hit a great shot.”

He won the holiday event hosted by Tiger Woods for the second time, winning in 2016.

Straka, the 54-hole leader by one shot over Scheffler, birdied the final hole for a 68 to finish alone in third.

Scheffler shot 68 and tied for fourth with U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun (65).