GOLF - Tournament turns the spotlight on to Kauri Cliffs

The richest golf tournament in New Zealand history is set to showcase the spectacular features of the exclusive Kauri Cliffs golf course at Matauri Bay direct to millions of homes in America.
The inaugural Kiwi Challenge tournament will feature just four golfers - Adam Scott, Anthony Kim, Brandt Snedeker and Hunter Mahan - who will play 18 holes each day over two days on two of the most picturesque courses in the world: Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers.
But it is via exclusive coverage from American television network NBC that Kauri Cliffs is expected to get international exposure.
NBC will televise the Kiwi Challenge, which boasts a $US2.6 million ($3.6 million) purse and $1.5 million winner's cheque.
The two-round event starts with 18 holes at Kauri Cliffs in Northland on Labour Day, with the second round the next day at the new Cape Kidnappers course in Hawke's Bay.
It will be a gilt-edged opportunity to display the unique features of both courses, an opportunity that has fired up Kauri Cliffs head professional Greg Bryan and could even benefit Northland charities as well.
All gate takings would be donated to local charities, Bryan said.
"This is something [course owner] Julian Robertson has wanted to do ever since he developed the course. The showcase will be the players, but it is a chance to display just how spectacular our course is at Kauri Cliffs," Bryan said.
Kauri Cliffs, which was named the Best New International Course by Golf Digest in 2001, features 15 holes that view the Pacific Ocean, and large sections of the Northland coastline.
All four players are ranked in the top 40 in the world _ with Kim at No13, Mahan at No36 and Snedeker at No40. Scott, who turned 28 this month, is the oldest of the four and Kim, 23, the youngest.
New Zealand Titleist Academy coach Brian Doyle, of Hastings, said apart from Scott, the other three players were not particularly well-known here.
But their world top-40 ranking indicated the standard of play in the United States.
"Okay, they are not Tiger Woods or Vijay Singh, but I tell you, these guys will be good," Doyle said. "It'll be a travesty if people don't go to watch these world-class people in their own backyard."
Scott, from Adelaide, said: "I'm a global player, but it's always nice to return to the Southern Hemisphere and to compete on two beautiful courses that are going to provide a great test of golf and a spectacular setting."
Bryan said a limited number of tickets to witness the action first hand would go on sale on Friday, but the exposure the course would get on American television would be priceless. "That's millions of people getting pictures filmed in high definition of our course."
- Additional reporting Hawke's Bay Today