The New Zealand Open could forge a link with a new Asia-Pacific tour that may lead to an increased purse and yet another change of date.
There is also speculation The Grange club in Auckland is preparing a bid to take the Open away from The Hills, where it has been played since 2007.
It seems likely the tournament's co-sanctioning agreement with the Nationwide Tour will end after this week.
Both the Open and the Moonah Classic, the only other Nationwide event down under, may move under the umbrella of the fledgling OneAsia Tour.
The tour was established last year as a partnership among the PGA of Australia, China Golf, Korea Golf and the Korean PGA.
Aimed at eventually providing a viable alternative to the PGA and European tours, OneAsia offered just five tournaments last year but has expanded to 11.
The tour co-sanctions the Australian Open and PGA in early summer, so it could be argued the New Zealand Open would be a natural fit.
"It would be an option, definitely," PGA of Australia spokesman Simon Butterly said when asked if the Open could join the OneAsia circuit.
"This is the last year of the current arrangement and we need to do our due diligence and speak to the Nationwide Tour.
"We need to talk to Michael Hill and Bob Tuohy and look at everything.
"OneAsia would obviously be a top consideration."
Butterly said the Australian PGA had another two tournaments to run before reviewing the itinerary.
The OneAsia Tour runs from April to December, so the New Zealand Open will probably be pushed to November-December if it joined.
It was played in November when it first went to The Hills in 2007, before moving to March and then January.
Tournaments in OneAsia offer a minimum prize purse of $US1 million ($NZ1.42 million).
The Open only offers $US600,000 at the moment but Hill, the owner of the course and sponsor of the tournament, revealed this week he hoped financial support would boost the kitty.
The OneAsia Tour has run into some opposition, notably from the Japan-based Asian Tour, but Butterly said the Australian PGA backed it wholeheartedly.
"We wouldn't have committed to it if we didn't feel it had a future and a lot of potential."
There is some speculation that The Grange, which last hosted the New Zealand Open in 2004, is contending to host the 2011 tournament.
Grange chief executive Damian Cooper could not be contacted for comment yesterday.
New Zealand Golf is holding a press conference today to comment on the Open's future.
