Overview
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen closed at 15 under to win by one after saving par on 18 as Cameron Smith three-putted for bogey.
- The Dane claimed his first DP World Tour title and a Masters exemption, with Si Woo Kim third and Adam Scott fifth.
- Smith’s pursuit of a maiden national title ended in a narrow defeat, marking a strong rebound in form after a difficult season.
- Rory McIlroy drew sellout galleries and finished tied 14th before urging a new date to help the event attract deeper international fields.
- The Australian Open ran the same week as the Nedbank Golf Challenge and the Hero World Challenge, drawing public criticism from players such as Richard Mansell without any immediate schedule changes.