One of the hottest new golf courses in the world is hosting a tournament with a Masters invitation at stake.
On Thursday morning, Augusta National announced it will bring the 2026 edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship to Te Arai’s South Links course in Tomarata, New Zealand, which ranks 85th among GOLF’s Top 100 courses in the world list. The tournament will be played from October 29 to November. 1, and will mark Te Arai’s debut hosting a major tournament after a much-hyped opening as a resort destination in 2022.
The news arrived as the game was about to start this annual Asia-Pacific Amateur, held at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai. The annual tournament, which started in 2009 and is managed by Augusta National, is held in the Far East with the aim of promoting golf worldwide. The winner of the tournament earns a spot in the following year’s Masters and Open Championships, and in recent years the tournament’s runner-up has earned a spot in the final qualifier for the Open Championship.
Te Arai’s participation as tournament host for the Asia-Pacific Amateur adds a secondary level of hype to the event, which attracts annual attention as one of the key autumn events for entry into major championships. The New Zealand resort has become one of the sport’s most sought-after international destinations in the four years since it opened, with its sandy soil and ocean cliff views contributing to a rare golfing experience. Te Arai’s international appeal is enhanced by its location on New Zealand’s North Island and its proximity to the main hub of Auckland (it is just a 70-minute drive from the city centre).
The resort has two courses, the North and South Links courses. The former, a Tom Doak design from 2023plays 6,900 yards from the championship tees, while the latter, a 2022 Coore-Crenshaw design, plays over 6,800 yards.
The timing of Te Arai’s hosting will help make the 2026 Asia-Pacific Amateur one of the most sought-after international events on the 2026 fall circuit. A win in the event gives the winner entry to the ’27 Masters (the 30th anniversary of Tiger Woods’ historic win) and the 155th Open, which will be held on the Old Course at St. Andrews.
This weekend, a field of 120 amateur golfers will play four rounds in Dubai in the 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
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