Golf Australia has announced that the Australian Master of the Amateurs tournament will now hold Australian Amateur Ranking status. The tournament is currently ranked number 17 on the list of counting events on The R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking, and will now also count towards the Australian Men’sAmateur Ranking System. With four of the world s top 10 amateur golfers competing in the last two years, including now US PGA Tour player Rickie Fowler in 2009, the event provides a wonderful opportunity for Australian players to compete against the top level of international players without having to travel overseas. Golf Australia CEO Stephen Pitt said Peter and Angela Mann have worked tirelessly and passionately in building one of the region s most popular amateur golf championships. We are pleased to be able to add it to the Australian Men’sRanking System and look forward to a working with the Manns in further growing the game. Australian Master of the Amateurs Tournament Director, Peter Mann said The Australian Master of the Amateurs is proud to be an Australian Men’sAmateur Ranking Event. The Championship provides a great opportunity for Australian players to participate against the world&aposs best amateur golfers, on their home soil. The Australian Master of the Amateurs Champion secures exemption into the Amateur Championship (UK), Porter Cup (USA), The Players Amateur (USA), The Dogwood Invitational (USA) and the Canadian Men’sAmateur Championship (CAN). The Australian Master of the Amateurs looks forward to working with Golf Australia in growing the game of golf in Australia and worldwide. The event joins seventeen of Australia s major state events, in addition to the Srixon Australian Amateur Championship and Australian Open, on the list of Australian Men’sRanking Events. The Australian Men&aposs Amateur Ranking System provides players, as well as the industry, a great opportunity to monitor the movements in the standings across the peak of men’s amateur golf in Australia. The system is points-based, and operates over a 12-month rolling period. Players points are determined by their finishing positions in each event and the events themselves are weighted with the events traditionally attracting the strongest fields being awarded the most points. The Australian Master of the Amateurs was first played in 1997 and past champions include Brendan Jones, Jason Day, the USA s Mark Anderson, and current champion and Golf Australia National Squad member Jordan Sherratt. The 2011 Australian Master of the Amateurs will be played on Royal Melbourne s West Course from 11-14 January.