KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand Golf Open will be handed to professionals to run and is likely to be shifted from Auckland.
The open lost $459,000 in 2005 and a similar blow is expected to be announced in the next few weeks by New Zealand Golf (NZG), following this year's tournament at Gulf Harbour, near Auckland.
NZG chief executive Larry Graham told the Dominion Post that the tournament was moving from there and out of Auckland, but he wasn't certain where the next one would be staged.
"What is key is to move it around New Zealand so that all New Zealanders can embrace it for what it is," he told the newspaper.
Seven of the last 10 opens were staged in Auckland.
Graham said NZG couldn't handle the pressure of running the open and would recommend handing it professionals.
NZG has done a review of the open and its recommendations will be revealed to the board at next month's meeting.
The date of the open could revert to late November from January.
- NZPA
