Golf: Big names on menu for Christchurch classic

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Big-name European players are set to play in the Clearwater Classic early next year.

Organisers admit the top-ranked players will be beyond their budget, but promise some well-known golfers will be among the 10 who are invited.

The invited players for the March 14-17 tournament, to be played on the yet-to-be-opened Clearwater Course near Christchurch, will be joined by 73 players from the Australasian Tour and 73 from the PGA's second-tier Buy.com tour.

"It will be the first tournament here co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour," said Chris Herbert, spokesman for promoters Sporting Frontiers.

"We are hopeful it will be an exciting field and the names we have had mentioned certainly back that."

Herbert said all holes at Clearwater had been "signed off" and that club members would be playing nine of the holes for the first time on December 15.

"All 18 holes will be ready by February," he said.

"The hold-ups have been more in getting the clubhouse and other infrastructure ready than the course itself."

The official opening of the course is scheduled for March 23 - a week after the classic.

Greg Turner, already confirmed as one of the tournament's name players, said the timing could be attractive to European players.

"It is the quietest time of the season for the European golfers. The weather is still not all that great so there is a chance a few players might be keen to come Down Under."

Turner inspected Clearwater for the first time last week. He has been enthusiastic about the course, and the tournament.

He will play the New Zealand Open in January, then have a week off before playing for three weeks in Australia as preparation for the classic.