PGA Tour of Australasia

PGA Tour of Australasia
Name	PGA Tour of Australasia
Sport	Golf
Founded	1973
Region	Australia, New Zealand, South Pacific
Headquarters	Melbourne
Commissioner	PGA of Australia
Website	PGA Tour of Australasia

PGA Tour of Australasia is the principal men's professional golf tour for Australia and New Zealand, staging a seasonal circuit of tournaments across the Australasian continent and nearby islands. It serves as a competitive pathway connecting regional professionals with global circuits such as the PGA Tour, European Tour, and the Asian Tour, while overseeing national championships, co-sanctioned events, and developmental links to state and territorial federations. The tour has shaped elite careers for players from the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, South Africa, Japan, and the United States territories in Oceania.

History

The tour traces origins to professional events in Australia and New Zealand dating from the early 20th century, including the Australian Open and the New Zealand Open. Formal organisation materialised after the creation of the modern PGA of Australia and concerted efforts in the 1970s by figures associated with the European Tour and administrators from Royal Melbourne Golf Club and Victoria Golf Club. The 1970s and 1980s saw expansion through links with promoters behind the Colombo Plan-era exchanges and events involving players from South Africa and United Kingdom. Co-sanctioning arrangements began in earnest with the European Tour and later the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization, increasing prize funds and international fields. Landmark developments included the establishment of an Order of Merit, professionalisation of event standards influenced by PGA Tour practices, and strategic partnerships with national sporting bodies such as the Australian Sports Commission.

Organisation and Structure

The tour operates under governance structures tied to the PGA of Australia and coordination with national federations like Golf New Zealand and state associations in Victoria (Australia), New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. A board composed of directors with links to commercial partners, venues such as Royal Sydney Golf Club and Kingston Heath Golf Club, and broadcast partners from networks like Fox Sports Australia and Sky New Zealand oversee policy, scheduling, and commercial rights. Tournament directors implement regulations consistent with the R&A and United States Golf Association rules framework, while a players' committee liaises with touring professionals, including former champions from Royal Melbourne and representatives who have competed on the PGA Tour of Australasia circuit internationally.

Tournaments and Schedule

Seasonal schedules feature national opens, state opens, and invitational events held at championship venues including Royal Melbourne Golf Club, The Australian Golf Club, Barnbougle Dunes, Cape Wickham, and The Grange Golf Club. Flagship tournaments include the Australian Open, the Australian PGA Championship, and the New Zealand Open, with many events co-sanctioned alongside the European Tour, Asian Tour, or Korn Ferry Tour. The calendar traditionally features the early-year Australasian swing and a southern-hemisphere summer stretch, often attracting international stars from United States winter schedules, Europe off-season players, and regional talents from Japan and South Korea.

Order of Merit and Rankings

The tour's Order of Merit functions as the principal season-long merit list, historically based on prize-money totals and increasingly aligned with points-based methodologies to reflect co-sanctioned events and currency variations. High finishers on the Order of Merit have earned status and exemptions into major championships such as The Open Championship, PGA Championship, and World Golf Championships, as well as membership opportunities on the European Tour and conditional access to the PGA Tour. The tour cooperates with the Official World Golf Ranking system to ensure performances in sanctioned events contribute to world ranking points, influencing qualification for global majors and Olympic selection overseen by national Olympic committees.

Notable Players and Records

The circuit has been a launching pad for major champions and international stars including winners and competitors who later triumphed on the PGA Tour and European Tour, with alumni rising to prominence from the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, and South Africa. Historic champions of national opens include names associated with multiple major titles and Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup rosters, with records set at championship venues such as Royal Melbourne and The Australian Golf Club. The tour's statistical leaders in career victories, scoring records, and Order of Merit titles are celebrated within Australasian golf lore and cited by national Halls of Fame.

Relationship with Other Tours

Strategic alliances with the European Tour, Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organization, and the PGA Tour underpin co-sanctioned events and reciprocal membership pathways. These relationships have enabled co-operation on scheduling to avoid conflicts with the Major Championships and facilitated joint initiatives for player development, anti-doping aligned with the World Anti-Doping Agency, and commercial partnerships with global sponsors. Links with the Korn Ferry Tour and OneAsia-era initiatives further illustrate the tour's role in the global ecosystem, offering routes for Oceania-based professionals to access PGA Tour qualifying channels and European Tour status.

Developmental and Regional Circuits

Beneath the main schedule, a network of developmental circuits and state-based tours—including the Korn Ferry Tour-style feeder events, state opens, and national amateur-to-pro transition tournaments—provide competitive opportunities across Australia and New Zealand. Programs affiliated with the PGA of Australia and regional academies support talent pathways involving high performance centres, national squads linked to the Australian Institute of Sport, and partnerships with university golf programs. These circuits foster emerging professionals who advance to the main tour, co-sanctioned events, and international tours through qualifying schools, sponsor exemptions, and Order of Merit promotions.

Category:Golf tours