The winner of the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship will receive a place in the field at the 2010 Masters. The announcement was made by Billy Payne, Chairman of the Masters Tournament.

“We’re extremely proud to announce that the winner of this prestigious Asian Amateur Championship will receive an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament,” said Payne. “This is an extension of the initiative we announced last April about using the Masters’ name and reputation to help grow the game of golf around the world.”

The winner of the Asian Amateur Championship will join winners of The Amateur Championship, the United States Amateur, the United States Amateur Public Links and the United States Mid-Amateur, in receiving an invitation to play in the season’s first Major at Augusta.

The Masters has a good record of awarding places to amateur golfers who would later go on to become Tournament champions. Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickleson and Tiger Woods all competed as amateurs at Augusta before they wore the coveted Green Jacket later in their careers.

The winner of the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship will, without doubt, relish the opportunity to follow in their footsteps.