In a nerve-shredding finale at Royal Melbourne, Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen held his nerve to claim the Australian Open title, defeating home favourite and former Open champion Cameron Smith by a single stroke on Sunday, 7 December 2025.
A Final Hole Rollercoaster
The drama reached its peak on the 18th green. Neergaard-Petersen, who held a two-shot lead at the start of the day, pushed his approach into the right-hand rough. His chip ran 10 feet past the hole, leaving a testing par putt. With the pressure at its zenith, the 26-year-old Dane coolly rolled it in.
This shifted the spotlight squarely onto Smith, who had found the heart of the green with his second shot. Facing a five-foot par putt to force a playoff, the Australian's effort agonisingly lipped out, confirming Neergaard-Petersen's victory with a 15-under par total.
The Battle for the Stonehaven Cup
The final round was a captivating duel between the emerging talent and the established star seeking his first win in over two years. Smith seized the initiative at the 10th hole, draining a 15-foot birdie putt to take the lead.
Unfazed, Neergaard-Petersen responded immediately, birdying the 12th and 13th to reclaim sole possession of the top spot. Smith pulled level again with a birdie at the par-5 14th, and the pair remained deadlocked after both birdied the 17th, setting the stage for the dramatic last-hole conclusion.
Life-Changing Consequences of Victory
The triumph represents a monumental career breakthrough for Neergaard-Petersen. It is his maiden victory on the DP World Tour and, most significantly, earns him a coveted exemption into The Masters at Augusta National in 2026.
"I'm really at a loss for words," said the champion. "It's been a battle all day. Sometimes on the outside you can look calm, but it was a storm inside all day today. To get it up and down to make that putt on the last, I don't really know what to say, to be honest."
Further down the leaderboard, South Korea's Kim Si-woo finished third on 13-under par. He was followed by South Africa's Michael Hollick and former Masters champion Adam Scott. This trio secured exemptions for The 2026 Open Championship. Rory McIlroy finished in a tie for 14th place.
