Royal Melbourne, Australia – Rising Danish golf star Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen held his nerve under immense pressure to claim his first DP World Tour title at the Australian Open, edging out former Open champion Cameron Smith in a dramatic finish.

The 26-year-old Neergaard-Petersen, making his debut on the PGA Tour this year, carded a one-under-par 70 on the final day to finish 15 under at Royal Melbourne. A flawless final-hole up-and-down for par secured victory, as Smith three-putted for bogey, handing the Dane a thrilling one-shot win.

“Even from the outside you can look calm, but it was a storm inside all day,” Neergaard-Petersen said. “I’m really at a loss for words. It’s been a battle all day.”

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Final Leaderboard Highlights

• Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (DEN): -15
• Cameron Smith (AUS): -14
• Kim Si Woo (KOR): -13
• Matt Hollick (SA): -12
• Adam Scott (AUS): -11
• Rory McIlroy (NIR): -7
• Danny Young (SCO): -6
• Jeff Senior (ENG): -5
• Calum Adam (SCO): -3
• David Law (SCO): E

Neergaard-Petersen, who held a two-shot overnight lead, briefly fell into a tie with Smith after bogeying two of the first nine holes. The pair exchanged the lead down the back nine before both birdied the 17th, setting up a tension-filled final-hole showdown.

South Korea’s Kim Si Woo finished in third place at 13 under, while Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, the world number two, ended eight strokes behind the winner.

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McIlroy Calls for Schedule Revisions

Despite Neergaard-Petersen’s breakthrough, attention also turned to Rory McIlroy, who urged tournament organizers to rethink the scheduling of the Australian Open to attract a stronger field in the future. World number one Scottie Scheffler chose to compete in the Hero World Challenge in New York instead.

“I would love to have a few more players come down and play, but it’s hard,” McIlroy said. “There are three tournaments going on in the schedule this week. There needs to be conversations had with people much more important than me that set the schedules.”

The Australian Open marked the conclusion of McIlroy’s stellar season, which included a Masters title, his seventh Race to Dubai victory, and a successful Ryder Cup defense with Europe.

“I’m excited to have a little bit of downtime, finally reflect on everything, maybe watch a few tournaments back. Looking forward to the Christmas break, put the feet up, a few glasses of wine, and think back on an unbelievable year,” McIlroy added.

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Neergaard-Petersen’s Rise on the Tour

Neergaard-Petersen’s win signals the arrival of a new talent on the global golf stage. His composure under pressure, especially in a head-to-head finish against a major champion, has marked him as a player to watch in upcoming DP World Tour events and future major championships.