It’s the week that could kick start or re-launch the careers of hopeful Tour Professionals with competitors teeing it up at the final stage of ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School presented by Cobra Puma Golf.

The Sandhurst Club in Melbourne this week plays host to 76 players as they aim to gain playing privileges on the Tour for the 2017 season.

Starting on Tuesday 17 January, final stage will be played over four rounds with no cut providing competitors 72 holes to seal their fate.

The winner of Qualifying School will receive category 7(a) for the season which sits just below winners of State Based Championships and above the career money category. It is anticipated that this player will get into all 2017 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournaments.

Players who finish 2^nd to 5^th at Qualifying School will receive category 10, it is anticipated that these players will be exempt into most 2017 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia tournament.

Players who finish 6^th to 40^th will received category 13, it is anticipated that these players will be exempt into most State Based Championship tournaments on the 2017 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

A total of six countries are represented this week as the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia emerges as an attractive player pathway. The Tour now co-sanctions the Australian PGA Championship and Fiji International with the European Tour and continues to build a strong relationship with the Asian Tour who, along with the European Tour, tri-sanction the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

There are some notable names amongst entrants at Qualifying School this year including former ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia winners; Rohan Blizard, Lincoln Tighe, Scott Arnold, Matthew Guyatt, Bradley Lamb, Jin Jeong, David McKenzie, Leigh McKechnie, Ryan Lynch, Anthony Summers, Peter Wilson and Adam Stephens.

Also in the field are some of the rising stars of Australasian golf including; Blake Proverbs (am), Austin Bautista (am), Troy Moses, Anthony Quayle, and New Zealander Luke Toomey (am).

The 2017 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia season tees off with the Victorian PGA Championship on 2 February at Huntingdale Golf Club. The first half of the year will be busy with the Tour also visiting Western Australia, New Zealand and Queensland.

This year the schedule will include a minimum of 17 tournaments played for approximately $9million dollars. The player who tops the Order of Merit at the end of the season will likely gain entry into The Open Championship in 2018 as well as World Golf Championship events.

All tournaments on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia carry Official World Golf Ranking points.