Prime Minister Hon. James Marape today celebrated the resounding success of the 2025 PNG Open, declaring the moment a historic milestone and a beacon of national pride for Papua New Guinea.
Hosted at the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club, the 2025 PNG Open—the largest professional golf tournament ever staged in PNG—kicked off on August 14, 2025, drawing over 120 elite professional golfers from across four continents, including a groundbreaking representation of female professionals.
Prime Minister Marape spoke with passion and pride:
“This is more than just golf. This is the world witnessing Papua New Guinea rise to host and compete at elite levels. Sport is our language of unity, pride, and potential. Through the PNG Open, we sent a powerful message: PNG welcomes the best—and we stand shoulder to shoulder with them.”
The Prime Minister highlighted how the event has become a platform not only for showcasing PNG’s hospitality and organisational capacity, but also for unlocking opportunities for local players.
One standout story is that of Papua New Guinean golfer Morgan Annato, whose two late birdies in Friday’s second round secured him a place in the weekend field. Playing in his seventh national Open, Annato shot a 2-under 70 to make the cut—his third straight year to do so. Backed by a personal sponsor, Annato could now be sent to Australia’s PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School (Q School), potentially becoming the first Papua New Guinean to earn Tour status.
“Sport does sell our country’s image. Sport does inform the world who we are. And here you have professional golfers coming from right across the world to play in Port Moresby,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“This is also a stepping stone for some of our own players into future professional careers. Hopefully, down the line, we will see Papua New Guinean golfers like Morgan Annato rise through the professional ranks and take PNG’s name onto the world stage.”
Since 2016, the PNG Open has grown as a catalyst for the sport’s development in the country—introducing junior clinics, offering amateur exemptions, and this year staging the first-ever PNG Women’s Open. Tournament Director Graeme Scott of the PGA of Australia reaffirmed the vision of seeing PNG golfers regularly competing on the international Tour, describing the PNG Open as a crucial pathway for emerging talent.
Prime Minister Marape also linked the event to the broader spirit of PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary, noting how sport serves as a dynamic showcase of the nation’s culture, resilience, and ambition.
Building on this momentum, he pledged unwavering support for hosting even bigger and more prestigious international competitions in the years to come.
“We must embrace this moment—for PNG to not just participate, but to lead, inspire, and shine on the global sporting stage,” the Prime Minister affirmed.
Inspiration Highlights
• A Celebration of Milestones: By hosting the largest-ever professional golf field— including international men’s and women’s professionals—PNG showed it can compete with the best.
• A Local Breakthrough: Morgan Annato’s achievement represents a historic opportunity to take PNG golf onto the world stage.
• Global Attention, National Pride: The tournament elevated PNG’s international profile while reinforcing national unity and pride during the 50th Independence Anniversary.
• A Vision for Growth: With this year’s success as a foundation, PM Marape envisions PNG as a future host of elite global sporting events, generating tourism, opportunity, and global respect.