Golf: Inaugural NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship announced

The Hills will host the inaugural NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship. Photo / Getty Images

The Hills near Queenstown will host the inaugural NZ PGA Pro-Am championships from 2012, a tournament that will be part of the Australasian PGA Tour and with total prizemoney of $500,000.

The event was announced today by Prime Minister John Key at the Cloud in Auckland and will be played next year at The Hills owned by Sir Michael Hill between March 29 and Sunday April 1. It will be a fixture on the calendar for a minimum five-year term.

Inspired by the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, one of the most prestigious events on the European tour, the event builds on the long established NZ PGA Championship, first played for in 1920.

Professionals will play for the NZ PGA Championship over four rounds but, in a unique event format, 64 invited amateurs and celebrities will be each paired with one of the 64 professionals who make the cut, playing together as a team for the NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship over the final two days.

NZ PGA Pro-Am organising committee chairman John Hart said they felt inspired to bring this format to New Zealand

"Several years ago I was lucky enough to play in the Dunhill and I absolutely loved it,'' Hart said.

"The combination of getting to play alongside some of the world's best golfers and well known celebrities in the heat of a professional tournament was an amazing opportunity.

The NZ PGA and The Hills believe that this format will be very attractive in New Zealand, promoting the game of golf and providing excellent leverage opportunities for both business and tourism at home and abroad.''