The 2025 Australian Open delivered a cracking week of golf, big crowds, big names, and plenty of excitement, and for the Keperra family, it was one to be proud of.
It was fantastic to see our own John Senden make the cut in what turned out to be a very strong and demanding field. In a tournament stacked with world-class talent, John’s effort to play his way into the weekend was a real credit to his professionalism and competitiveness. With John indicating this was likely his final Australian Open, the achievement became even more meaningful.
The atmosphere all week was exceptional, thanks to Rory McIlroy’s return to the Australian Open after a long absence. Australian fans would have loved to see a home winner, and while Cam Smith narrowly missed out, his runner-up performance was outstanding and showed just how good he is.
John faced early tee times on both Saturday and Sunday, but that didn’t stop him from producing some great moments. It was also terrific that Keperra’s General Manager was on site to capture a number of John’s highlights and special memories from what could well be a closing chapter in his Australian Open journey.
There was also a lovely piece of Keperra right there on the greens at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. John proudly chose to use his Keperra marker throughout the tournament, a small but meaningful touch, and a great reminder of where it all started.
Adding further to the Keperra story was Brian Nilsson (LHS Photo below – far right), who found himself in the winner’s circle as caddie to the champion, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen. A proud Keperra member, despite spending little time in Australia, Brian is a highly credentialed world-tour caddie who has worked with several high-profile players over the years, including John as well as Nicolas Colsaerts for over a decade. After his player missed the cut at the Australian PGA at Royal Qld, Brian was quick to say he felt Melbourne would suit him perfectly, and he was spot on.
What made the whole period even better was seeing Cam Smith visit Keperra in the weeks following the Open to play a round with two of our rising stars. It was fantastic to see and says a lot about the person he is.
From John Senden’s grit to Cam Smith’s class, Rory McIlroy’s presence, Brian Nilsson’s success on the bag, and even a Keperra marker on the greens, the 2025 Australian Open was a special week, one that again highlighted Keperra’s proud and long-held connection to the very top level of golf.
Filed under: Club News