International golf officials have announced a major new tournament for Asian amateurs with the winner earning a coveted spot at next year's US Masters.
The winner of the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship, to be played at China's Mission Hills from October 29 to November 1, will also go through to final qualifying for the 2010 British Open, they said in a joint announcement.
"The tournament will positively impact the game for years and we hope for generations to come," said Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) chairman Tommy Lee.
The event, announced by the Royal and Ancient golf club and the US Masters along with the APGC, was billed as a big boost for amateurs in Asia, where the sport is growing quickly.
The 72-hole stroke-play tournament, at the giant Mission Hills complex in southern China, will have a maximum field of 120 amateurs from the APGC's 32 member associations which stretch from Iran to the Pacific islands.
Selection will be based on the R&A's world amateur golf rankings with the top two ranked players from each country qualifying plus the top four from the hosts.
The rest of the field will be drawn from the next highest ranked players with a maximum of six from each country except China, the APGC said.
Copyright 2009 AFP Global Edition
