Open season: IBF presses flesh with Aussie golf on menu

Murray Wenzel | July 16, 2026

Ian Baker-Finch’s 35th title anniversary return to Royal Birkdale has resembled a recruitment drive as the world’s top golfers ponder a trip to Australia.

The former British Open champion and current Australian PGA chair has met with world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and other leading players in the build-up to the year’s final major in the north-west coast of England from Thursday afternoon (AEST).

It comes after American Scheffler and Spanish favourite Jon Rahm spoke optimistically of playing big-time golf Down Under following a new partnership between Golf Australia and the PGA Tour.

The deal will lead to prizemoney boosts and a scheduling restructure that creates a window for the world’s best to visit the country.

LIV Golf star Rahm, who has relished the huge crowds in recent visits to the rebel league’s Adelaide’s event, even suggested a major in Australia should be explored and “could be very successful”.

“It’s makes it a little easier,” Baker-Finch told AAP as he walked the course before round one.

“I’ve talked to Scottie and his manager … Jordan Speith wants to come back again too.

“We have great golf courses, they want to come and play, would love to fit it in.

“The Australian PGA Championship and Australian Open will have great fields again this year, and it will only improve after 2028.” 

Fans flocked to see Rory McIlroy at last year’s Australian Open, an appearance sandwiched between his back-to-back Masters triumphs. 

He’ll headline December’s Open at Melbourne’s Kingston Heath but Baker-Finch warned it would take more than “unreal meat pies and flat whites”, as Cameron Smith jokingly suggested this week, for the likes of Scheffler to join him.

“To get the needle movers here you’re paying million of dollars,” Baker-Finch said

“So it’s finding the sponsors … you’d think it would (be easy), wouldn’t you?”

He argued that modern-day fields at Australian events were already deeper in quality than “the glory days” when a smattering of big names would prop up the field and the purse was measured in thousands, not millions.

“And these guys are playing for US$20 million every week (in Signature Events).

“So they’d love to play (in Australia), but it’s about all those things too.”

Baker-Finch will also attend official meetings in his role as chairman during the week and said there would be a focus on luring the “support cast” of top-50 players as well as the biggest names.

Walking the course on Wednesday with designer Tom Mackenzie, Baker-Finch said Australian gun Min Woo Lee’s runner-up finish at last week’s Scottish Open had him well placed.

“This is my favourite part of the week,” he said while strolling down the fifth fairway.

“Thirty-five years on and the course, apart from the (rebuilt par-three) 15th, is the same routing, but just so far superior in terms of conditions and replacing of angles. 

“It’s dry, but not dry. It’s how it should be. Bloody beautiful.”

Seven Australians are in the field, including domestic Order of Merit winner Travis Smyth and major debutant Cameron John.

“They’ve all earned their spots and, just look at 1984 when I turned up to St Andrews, having never played links golf before, and led for three days.

“Anything can happen.”