Golf Australia – September 2026

Summary

Rory McIlroy opens up about his love of Australian golf in an exclusive interview for Golf Australia Issue #448 (September 2026) — the same issue that marks the Women's Open's 50-year milestone ("Phenomenal Fifty," p76) with a celebration of the championship's evolution from amateur status to a global major. Geoff Ogilvy previews his Presidents Cup captaincy (p36) as he prepares the International team for the showdown at Bethpage, and John Huggan (p28) weighs in on the format changes that could level the playing field. Jason Day's lost season (p22) gets a frank examination of his injury battles and what it will take to return to contention.

The 50 Years of Progress cover story anchors a dedicated Women's section (p76-88) that includes the upcoming Q-School restructure (p86), an influential figures list (p87), and a feature on the championship's changing media narrative (p88). Course reviews visit Links Lady Bay (p12) — a modern links on South Australia's Limestone Coast — while Mallacoota Golf Club's recovery from bushfire (p62) offers a moving story of community rebuilding after the 2019-2020 Black Summer. The Travel section (p94) compares Australia's country classics, and the Gear pages (p121) deliver a Father's Day gift guide timed to the September release.

Before The Bell (p68) profiles the early-morning routines of golf's most dedicated players and coaches, revealing the preparation habits that separate the pros from the field. Mental Mastery (p106) and Crack The Code (p108) both focus on alignment and mindset — the alignment piece claims that a 2-degree face error at address turns into a 30-yard miss, and offers a clubface drill to fix it.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Features
p.46 · Together They Rose – Rory McIlroy
McIlroy on why Australia is his favourite place to play golf away from home, the friendships that keep him coming back, and his view on the state of professional golf in 2026. The one course in Australia he still hasn't played but desperately wants to.

p.36 · Breaking The Curse
Geoff Ogilvy on captaining the International Presidents Cup team, the scheduling changes he's pushing for, and why Bethpage's crowd could actually help his players. The singles-day strategy that could flip the format in the Internationals' favour.

p.62 · Fire Clears The Way
Mallacoota Golf Club's recovery from the 2019-2020 bushfires that destroyed its clubhouse and 12 holes. The volunteer effort that rebuilt the course and the design changes that make it more fire-resilient today.

▸ Women's
p.76 · Phenomenal Fifty
A commemorative feature on the Women's Open's 50 years, from its first edition at Fulford in 1976 to the 2026 championship. The five players who defined each decade and the purse growth from £6,000 to over £7 million.

p.86 · Q-School's New Home
The LPGA and LET's joint Q-School restructure — a move from eight rounds to six, the new venue rotation, and what it means for Australian hopefuls. The entry fee change that could broaden access for Asian and European players.

▸ Instruction
p.106 · Mental Mastery
A psychologist's framework for handling the internal narrative during a competitive round. The thought-stopping technique that cuts off a negative spiral after a single bad shot.

p.108 · Crack The Code
Face-angle awareness drill using a single alignment rod. How a 2-degree face error at address translates to a 30-yard offline miss — and how to calibrate your setup in 10 seconds.

▸ Travel
p.94 · Country Classics
A curated tour of Australia's most character-filled country courses, from sand-green outback layouts to high-country parklands. The one course that costs $15 and offers views comparable to Royal Melbourne.

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Editor's Take

The Women's Open 50-year feature is the best piece in this issue — it balances tribute with critical reflection on how far the championship still has to go. The McIlroy exclusive is a genuine get and he's clearly comfortable, offering more personality than his usual press-conference answers. The Mallacoota recovery story is moving without being sentimental. On the downside, the Presidents Cup preview with Ogilvy lacks the tactical depth that readers want — it talks around the match rather than inside it. The Father's Day gift guide (p121) is two pages of advertorial that any reader with internet access could produce faster. Jason Day's lost season piece (p22) is well written but arrives too late; Day's struggles have been well documented elsewhere.

Strengths
• Women's Open 50-year feature is properly researched
• McIlroy exclusive reveals a genuine connection to Australian golf
• Mallacoota recovery story is a genuinely good piece of reporting

Weaknesses
• Presidents Cup preview lacks strategy detail
• Gift guide is two pages of paid placement without useful curation

Verdict: Recommended — the Women's Open retrospective and McIlroy interview make this a strong issue, even if the preview pieces lack teeth.