OneAsia’s groundbreaking second season tees-off in April and as the Tour continues to build a solid platform for development the player eligibility criteria has been finalized for 2010.
OneAsia was set up to create a season long circuit of US$1million events across the Asia-Pacific region and the player eligibility criteria has ensured its tournaments are open to the elite golfers across the region.
Ten tournaments have been confirmed this year with other events expected to be announced shortly as OneAsia bids to establish itself as an alternative to the US PGA Tour and the European Tour.
The opening tournament will be the Luxehills Championship to be played at Luxehills International Country Club in Chengdu, China from April 1 to 4.
The player eligibility criteria has been split into two sections with one for National Opens and the other for non-National Opens.
The National Opens on the OneAsia schedule currently include the Volvo China Open, the Korea Open, the Thailand Open, and the Australian Open.
Category one applies to the leading players from the 2009 OneAsia Order of Merit. For National Opens the top-16 from the final 2009 Merit list can play while for non-Nationals Open it is open to the top 20.
Australian Scott Strange claimed last year’s OneAsia Order of Merit with earnings of US$505,783 ahead of his compatriots Adam Scott and Robert Allenby.
The second category is the same for both sections and is for the leading 20 players from Australasia, Asia and Japan on the World Golf Rankings as of 21 days prior to the tournament. This can only go down to 250th place.
Category three is for the leading players from the PGA of Australasia, the Korean Tour and the China Golf Tour. The leading 20 from each gain entry for National Opens while the top 22 from each are able to compete in non-National Open.
OneAsia fully intends to make the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) an important part of its plans and therefore category four gives 10 spots for both sections to the JGTO.
Regional exemption positions nominated by local golf authorities cover category five. For National Opens this applies to a total of 30 players while for non-National Opens it will be 20. This category can also apply to slots set aside for pre-qualifying.
OneAsia continues to try and work with the Asian Tour and therefore in category six they are allocated 10 places from their Order of Merit at the end of 2009. This applies to both sections.
The final category also applies to both sections and is 10 invites.
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