JOSH Armstrong, a professional golfer from Australia, has won his first challenge for the PGA Tour of Australasia title after claiming a two-shot victory at the Papua New Guinea Open Golf Tournament in Port Moresby.
NRL Start, Jarome Luai and the first player to sign up for PNG Chiefs, was amongst 120 international professional golfers who travelled to Port Moresby for the tournament.
Luai was a special guest and was welcomed into the country by Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Belden Namah.
The PNG Government thanked the 120 international players for travelling to PNG for the tournament.
“Our vision is to position Papua New Guinea as one of the Pacific’s premier destinations for sport, tourism, culture and investment, and events such as the PNG Open are helping us achieve that goal,” said Namah.
PNG rejoined the PGA Tour in 2023 with 82 golfers however the first tour was played at the Port Moresby Royal Golf Course in 1977. PNG Open only became a PGA Tour-sanctioned event in 2016.
Minister Namah described the event as a major boost for the country’s growing sports and tourism industry and said it was an honour to welcome Luai and the professional golfers from Australia, the United States, Europe, China, Japan, South Kore and New Zealand.
“The Papua New Guinea Open is much more than a golf tournament. It is an opportunity to showcase our country as a safe, welcoming and exciting destination for international visitor,” said Namah.
“We want everyone who comes here to leave with unforgettable memories and to return with their families and friends,” said Namh.
The 2026 PNG Open returned to the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club and was played from the 23rd to 30th August 2026.
It kicked off the 2026 Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia and players contested over 72 holes of stroke play. The 120 players played 18 holes at the start of the tournament.
Minister Namah said internationally recognized sporting personalities such as Jorome Luai played an important role in promoting Papua New Guinea to the world.
“When world-class athletes visit our country, they become ambassadors for Papua New Guinea,” he said.
Namah said the PNG Government looks forward to welcoming these golfers back again next year.
The PGA Tour of Australasia is a professional golf tour for men and most of the players are from Australia and a smaller contingent from New Zealand, with players from other countries allowed to participate.
To earn a PGA Tour of Australasia card, one must place in the top 26 of the tour’s qualifying schools. To retain a tour card, a golfer must finish in the top 50 of the Order of Merit.
Golfers ranked 51st–70th are given conditional status and those ranked 71st to 100th are given entry to the final stage of Q School.
The next Challenger for PGA Tour of Australasia will be played at Binalong Community in New South Wales, Australia from the 26th-27th September 2026.
