Golf: Gulf Harbour the latest Auckland venue for Open

Gulf Harbour, on the Auckland Whangaparaoa Peninsula, will host next year's New Zealand Open golf championship.

Organisers finalised arrangements with the club this week for the championship running from January 20 to 23.

The course is one of the most spectacular in the country, a factor in the decision to use it for the national championship.

"It's a magnificent venue which will provide stunning pictures to our huge international television audience," said tournament director Phil Aickin.

"That will provide a great promotion for New Zealand and for our golf courses in general."

Aickin said the course offered a stern test of golf, particularly with its tough finishing holes.

"We are confident that our leading players will return to play on a course of this stature. We are very excited about running the tournament there."

Gulf Harbour first came to prominence when hosting the World Cup in 1998.

Aickin said increasing television costs and the need to maximise income from corporate hospitality made it important for the tournament to remain in the Auckland region for the time being.

The last two New Zealand Open championships have been staged in Auckland.