Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship: The Race for Major Championship Spots  11:24, 27/10/2026

The 17th edition of the championship will take place from October 29 to November 1 at the South Course at Te Arai Links in New Zealand. Established in 2009 through a joint initiative by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), the Masters Tournament and The R&A, the AAC has become a premier annual event for the region’s top amateur talent and a pathway to the professional game.

A Pathway to Two Major Championships

One of the championship’s biggest attractions is the opportunity it offers to compete on golf’s biggest stages. The winner will receive an invitation to the 2027 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club and an exemption into the 155th Open Championship at St Andrews.

The runner-up will earn an opportunity to compete in final qualifying for The Open, while the top three finishers will receive exemptions into the 132nd Amateur Championship at Royal Portrush, subject to the tournament’s eligibility requirements.

The AAC has played a significant role in the development of several golfers who have gone on to achieve success at the highest level. Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time AAC champion, went on to win the Masters in 2021. Cameron Smith, champion of the 150th Open, and Ryan Fox, winner of the 154th Open, have also competed in the championship.

Other notable AAC alumni include 2018 champion Takumi Kanaya, 2021 champion Keita Nakajima, Cameron Davis, Min Woo Lee, Si Woo Kim and C.T. Pan. According to the organizers, former AAC competitors have collectively won 33 PGA Tour titles and more than 160 tournaments across major professional tours worldwide.

These achievements underscore the championship’s role in identifying and developing the next generation of golf talent across the Asia-Pacific region.

Global Broadcast Coverage

The 2026 championship will feature three hours of live coverage each day, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. New Zealand time, throughout all four rounds.

The English-language broadcast team will feature Rich Lerner as host, Frank Nobilo as analyst, and Paul Gow and Steve Burkowski as on-course reporters. Amanda Balionis will conduct player interviews.

Coverage will be available through a range of international broadcasters, including Sky NZ in New Zealand, ESPN in the United States and Latin America, Fox Sports in Australia, iQIYI in China, Sky Sports in the United Kingdom, SPOTV across Asia, SuperSport in Africa, TBS in Japan and TSN in Canada.

The full broadcast will also be simulcast on AACgolf.com, alongside exclusive video and editorial content throughout the championship.

With places at two prestigious major championships on offer and a growing international audience, the 2026 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship remains a defining opportunity for the region’s leading amateurs to take a significant step toward golf’s global stage.