Mark Allen’s Five Fixes for the Australian Open

In a recent podcast appearance, Mark Allen shared five key areas he believes the Australian Open must improve to secure its future—just as excitement builds around this year’s event at Royal Melbourne.

With Royal Melbourne confirmed as the host venue for this year’s Australian Open, and Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott both locked in to play, attention is turning to how the event can build on this momentum.

On the Talk Birdie to Me podcast, former tour pro Mark Allen laid out five areas he believes need addressing for the Australian Open to thrive long-term.

Allen’s list includes securing a consistent date on the global calendar, aligning the tournament with one of the major world tours, and ensuring the event rotates through Australia’s top-tier courses.

He also flagged prizemoney as a critical factor, suggesting it must be competitive enough to attract elite players. The timing of the event—often clashing with the U.S. Thanksgiving period—was highlighted as a barrier to international participation.