The price tag to lure Rory McIlroy back to Sydney for his defence of the 2014 Australian Open is set to double to around $ US 1.5m.

It is believed McIlroy was paid $US 800,000 to compete this past week in Sydney and if the record crowds were any indication then event organisers certainly got their money’s worth.

So much so that Golf Australia CEO, Stephen Pitt will soon be in discussion to get McIlroy back to defend his title in 2014 at the nearby Australian Club.

“It’s been a landmark Australian Open with everything you could have asked for with great leaders, great crowds and great golf, and at the end of the day we got a great champion in Rory McIlroy,” said Pitt.

The sun shines for Rory McIlroy after capturing the Australian Open.

“He probably broke a lot of hearts out there as the Australian sporting public no doubt came out to see Adam’s ‘Triple Crown’ coronation but Rory is a very popular winner and we’d love to see him come back and defend next year.

“Rory is a class act and a wonderful guy, and you sometimes forget he is only 24 years old.

“And now that he’s won, and in terms of huge international players, Rory will now be our number one priority in looking to getting him back to Sydney to defend his title.

“Of course, Adam came back to Australia as Australia’s first-ever Masters winner but you forget what a huge international golfing figure Rory McIlroy is in the world of golf.

“By his own admission he hasn’t had a great year and before this year he was rivalling Tiger (Woods) in terms of global popularity, and Rory is such a warm and likeable guy and he will surely be high on our list to come back to Sydney next year.”