Winner of Hong Kong Open to get place at 2 majors - Masters and Open Championship
Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A announce plans to ‘align aspects of the qualification criteria’ for 2026 tournaments
The winner of this year’s Link Hong Kong Open will earn a lot more than US$360,000 and some precious ranking points, there are also now places at next year’s Masters and Open Championship up for grabs.
In a statement on Tuesday, Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A announced plans to “align aspects of the qualification criteria” for the year’s first major in April and the last one in July.
Beginning immediately, the two groups said they would award invitations to the winners and top finishers of the South African Open, Australian Open, Japan Open, Spanish Open, Hong Kong Open and Scottish Open.
The R&A said it would announce its Open Qualifying Series schedule in September, with the six tournaments part of that.
“This approach builds on The R&A’s longstanding and successful Open Qualifying Series and will ensure strong international pathways into both major championships from several professional tours, recognising the global strength of elite professional golf,” the club and the R&A said in the joint statement.
Andy Kwok, the captain at Hong Kong Golf Club where the city’s Open will be played, said his organisation “could not be happier with the news”.