Following the success of District Stroke Play events being used for amateurs to qualify for the New Zealand Open Final Qualifying event, all District Stroke Play Championships in 2024 and the start of 2025 will become regional qualifying events.
Each event will have three spaces available plus ties for those not already exempt, provided they finish inside the top 10. Any golfer earning a qualifying place who becomes exempt under one or more categories before the final District Stroke Play event, the Canterbury Stroke Play, will be awarded to the next non-exempt golfer at the District Stroke Play Championship they originally qualified at.
Players who are in the top 10 on the Golf New Zealand Order of Merit on January 1, 2024, are also exempt into Final Qualifying.
Golf New Zealand has also updated its own exemption categories for the New Zealand Open, with all five now coming at the discretion of Golf New
Zealand. One of those spots will be given specifically to a Māori golfer at the discretion of Golf New Zealand and the New Zealand Māori Golf Association. While these five exemptions will primarily be used for amateur golfers, Golf New Zealand will reserve the right to use a spot for a professional golfer if deemed appropriate.
In addition to this amateur qualifying process, all members of the New Zealand PGA are exempt into final qualifying.
Final Qualifying will take place at Cromwell Golf Club on Monday, February 23 ahead of the New Zealand Open which will take place at the Millbrook Resort between February 29 – March 3, 2024.
2023/2024 District Stroke Play Championships
- Auckland Stroke Play Championship
Completed – Qualifiers: Ryan Xie, Brodie Ferguson, Mitch Kale - North Harbour Stroke Play Championship
Completed – Qualifiers: Jack Van Prehn, Kevin Bang, Robby Turnbull - Tieke (Waikato) Stroke Play Championship
Completed – Qualifiers: Alec Prentice, Cam Harlock, Jaesueng Na - Manawatu-Wanganui Stroke Play Championship
Completed – Qualifiers: Rhys Harold, Richard Ratima, Taylor Kingston-Voyle - Wellington Stroke Play Championship
Completed – Jordan Anderson, Jonathan Cane, Sam Marsters - Bay of Plenty Stroke Play
Completed – Dale Clarke, Ben Westgate, Ciaran Sim
- Southland Stroke Play Championship
18-19 January 2025
Invercargill Golf Club, Southland - Taranaki Stroke Play Championship
18-19 January 2025
New Plymouth Golf Club, Taranaki - Otago Stroke Play Championship
25-26 January 2025
Otago Golf Club, Otago - Canterbury Stroke Play Championship (incorporating the South Island Stroke Play Championship)
1-2 February 2025
Templeton GC, Canterbury
- New Zealand Open Final Qualifying
23 February 2025
Cromwell Golf Club, Otato
