When the hot Zealand Open returns to Queenstown in early 2014, the year-round South Island resort will play host to the largest golfing event hosted in New Zealand for decades.
The tournament, a tier one event at the PGA Tour of Australasia, could be held from 27 February to two March at Queenstown’s The Hills Golf Course and Millbrook Resort. It is going to include a singular pro-am format played concurrently with the pro tournament following the rules established for the 2013 NZPGA Championship.
The purse for the development would be not less than NZD$850,000 (this figure shall be finalised once current stakeholder negotiations were concluded).
The Southern Lakes region will provide the ideal backdrop for this high profile event, offering visitors world-class facilities, multi award-winning courses, spectacular lake and alpine scenery, and a various range of golfing and non-golfing activity options.
Iconic golf tournament
A return to Queenstown is the results of New Zealand Golf (NZ Golf) the PGA of recent Zealand (NZPGA) and Michael Hill Tournaments Limited (MHTL) coming to an agreement at the future structure of major men’s golf tournaments in New Zealand.
The parties have agreed to pool resources with the purpose of constructing one truly iconic golf tournament.
Under the agreement, NZ Golf has licenced MHTL to organise and take full responsibility for the recent Zealand Open for an initial period of 3 years.
In addition, the parties have agreed to continue to stage an annual NZPGA Championship, initially on a smaller scale.
Paul Fyfe, New Zealand Golf chairman, says here is a tremendous moment for brand spanking new Zealand’s premier golf tournament.
“The New Zealand Open has a rich and assorted 106-year legacy and we’re taken with the opportunity of the development to flourish in Queenstown,” said Fyfe. “We believe that this will likely be a worldwide first for a countrywide Open Championship to include a professional-am format and it’ll be a thrilling new era for the hot Zealand Open.”
While the recent format means moving the development from Clearwater Golf Resort, Christchurch, which was home to the past two New Zealand Opens, Fyfe noted that “Christchurch remains a marvelous place to host golf events and we glance forward to working alongside the town to deliver the brand new Zealand Women’s Open and other events in Christchurch for years yet to come.”
Landmark agreement
John Hart, the Tournament Chairman on behalf of MHTL, said this was a landmark agreement by all parties involved.
“We are thrilled that New Zealand Golf and the NZPGA have taken a ‘whole of golf’ approach and feature recognised that New Zealanders can be well served by having one premier golf tournament that may compete on a global scale,” said Hart.
“Specifically, we acknowledge the NZPGA for his or her foresight in supporting the advance of this Pro-Am event over the last two years, and for accepting that this transfer to the brand new Zealand Open is for the betterment of the sport and the supply of pathways for elite players in New Zealand.”
Tournament Host Sir Michael Hill – owner of The Hills Golf Club which held the NZ Open in 2007, 2008 and 2010 – says Queenstown has “the ingredients to develop a legendary tournament”.
Joining The Hills as a co-host for the 2014 New Zealand Open is the Millbrook Resort. Millbrook owner Mr Ishii said: “We are very proud to co-host the brand new Zealand Open and await welcoming visitors from across New Zealand and overseas to monitor some great golfers play at Millbrook.”
Milestone partnership
The new tournament format should be played across two courses with a minimum field of 132 professional golfers playing alongside 132 amateur golfers.
Concurrent to the brand new Zealand Open Championship, a 72-hole strokeplay event, each professional could be paired with an amateur playing two rounds, one at each course, in a best ball format.
Following the second one round, a qualified and pro-am cut will see the ultimate two rounds played on the Hills.
The success of the tournament structure on the Hills over the last two years has caused the signing of a milestone partnership agreement between MHTL and the Japanese Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).
“The partnership agreement with the JGTO signed following a trip to Japan was a main breakthrough within the internationalisation of the development and towards our vision to create the pre-eminent tournament experience within the Asia Pacific region,” John Hart said.
“The Japan Tour is among the most lucrative and revered professional tours on this planet and we glance forward to welcoming 15 leading JGTO players to play inside the 2014 NZ Open. We’re delighted that the recent Zealand Open turns into only the third international tournament outside of Japan to have an association with the JGTO.”
The Japanese golfers will join leading professional golfers from New Zealand, Australia and Asia in Queenstown.
New Zealand’s premier world ranked player Michael Hendry, who’s a two-time NZPGA Champion on the Hills, is worked up in regards to the prospect of contending the NZ Open on the Hills and Millbrook.
“Queenstown is a smart venue for pro golf and the players love coming here,” said the 33-year-old from North Harbour, Auckland.
Growing tournament
Financially the tournament continues to grow with New Zealand’s Major Events Development Fund indicating they’ll increase their commitment to NZD$900,000 for the 2014 event.
The existing family of major sponsors for the NZPGA Championship has been retained, and include the Hilton Hotel Queenstown, Michael Hill, Milford Track’s Guided Walks, Rebel Sport, Sky City and Westpac.
They at the moment are joined by new sponsor and long-time supporter of golf in New Zealand, BMW, which have been the naming rights sponsor for the former two New Zealand Opens on the Clearwater Golf Club in Christchurch.
Hart said that the continuing support of the key Events Development Fund, Government and the family of sponsors was crucial to the sustainability of this event.
Festival of golf
With one or more public initiatives planned off and on the golf course the development is decided to bring a festival of golf to Queenstown.
“This is tremendous news both for our local people and in addition for golfers and visitors who may have the chance to look at and play top notch golf in a single of probably the most stunning landscapes on earth,” said Queenstown Mayor Vanessa Van Uden.
“I don’t have any doubt that the communities of the Queenstown Lakes District will join with me in celebrating the return of the recent Zealand Open to Queenstown’s event calendar.”
Tournament organisers are approaching professional and celebrity players to take part inside the New Zealand Open with further announcements to be made toward the development.
For past events celebrities playing on the Hills have included Sir Ian Botham, Hollywood actor Don Cheadle, World No.1 Lydia Ko and a great number of sporting icons from Australia, New Zealand and England.
The scheduling change to February 2014 suggests that no New Zealand Open can be held within the 2013 calendar year. There were three occasions of this within the history of the NZ Open (1990, 1999 and 2008) and all were because of the rescheduling of the tournament dates.
Plans are underway for the NZPGA Championship in 2014 and there’ll be an extra announcement concerning the dates and the venue of that event inside the coming months.
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