Ariel Cañete (born 7 February 1975) is an Argentine professional golfer. Cañete was born in Santa Teresita, Buenos Aires. He turned professional in 1995. Having competed on the local Argentine Tour, and the Tour de las Américas earlier in his career, in 2002 Cañete began playing on the Challenge Tour, Europe's second tier development tour. He finished high enough in the end of season rankings in 2005 to gain a place on the main European Tour. He finished the 2006 season in 143rd position on the Order of Merit, which was not enough to secure full playing rights for 2007. Having played in two Challenge Tour events in Latin America, he was given an invite to the European Tour's Joburg Open, and he made the most of the opportunity by claiming the title, and with it a two-year exemption on the