The Asian Tour has received a significant boost as three of its events have been officially included in The Open Qualifying Series, giving its members a prestigious pathway to compete in The Open 2025 at Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern Ireland, from July 17-20.

In an exciting move by The R&A, both the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport and the International Series Macau presented by Wynn have been added to the Series for the first time, while the Kolon Korea Open returns as a qualifier, continuing its status since 2018.

With 15 qualifying events across 11 countries, The Open continues to reinforce its reputation as the most global Major championship in golf.

Asian Tour Events in The Open Qualifying Series

The three Asian Tour events that will serve as Open Qualifiers are:

• 📅 New Zealand Open (Feb 27 – March 2, 2025)

  • Venue: Millbrook Golf Resort, Queenstown, New Zealand
  • Spot Available: 1 leading non-exempt player

• 📅 International Series Macau (March 20 – 23, 2025)

  • Venue: Macau Golf and Country Club, Macau
  • Spot Available: 1 leading non-exempt player
  • First time an International Series event is part of the Open Qualifying Series

• 📅 Kolon Korea Open (May 22 – 25, 2025)

  • Venue: Dunes Course, La Vie Est Belle, Chuncheon, Korea
  • Spot Available: 1 leading non-exempt player

A Golden Opportunity for Asian Golfers

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, welcomed the announcement, highlighting the importance of this opportunity:

“We thank The R&A for our continued involvement with the Open Qualifying Series, and the ongoing strengthening of our partnership. This will give our members a great chance of playing in The Open, which is the goal of every professional golfer.”

He cited John Catlin, the 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, who qualified for The Open last year through the series and finished an impressive joint 16th—his best-ever result in a Major.

The R&A’s Commitment to Global Golf

The Asian Tour’s affiliation with The R&A has played a key role in opening more doors for its players. In 2023, this relationship led to the launch of the ADT Players Championship presented by The R&A on the Asian Development Tour in Cambodia.

Mark Darbon, Chief Executive at The R&A, emphasized the organization’s global vision:

“We are proud to offer a wide range of opportunities to qualify globally and look forward to seeing which golfers will emerge to take their place at Royal Portrush in July.”

Additional Qualification Routes

Beyond the Open Qualifying Series, Regional and Final Qualifying events will take place in Great Britain and Ireland in June and July. These events are open to both professional and amateur golfers worldwide and have traditionally been well attended by Asian Tour players.

What This Means for Asian Golf

The inclusion of three Asian Tour events in The Open Qualifying Series solidifies the growing stature of the Tour and its ability to produce world-class talent. With more Asian golfers gaining access to Major championship stages, the global expansion of golf continues to thrive.

The next few months will be crucial as players battle for their chance to compete on one of golf’s grandest stages at Royal Portrush this July.