Golf: Kiwis give up a shot at big bucks to play in Open

Defending champion Michael Hendry and the country's No1 golfer Ryan Fox both sacrificed more lucrative tournaments to play the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open, starting this morning at Arrowtown.

Tournament director Michael Glading said Hendry and Fox could have teed up in Mexico and South Africa respectively, but opted for their home event.

Millbrook Resort and The Hills will share the hosting. Light north-east breezes are forecast early, before switching to the south. Fine weather is expected on the opening day.

Hendry tees off at 7.52am from the 10th hole at The Hills, Fox follows him at 8.03am.

The tournament works on a "no appearance fee" policy, preferring to earn its reputation via word-of-mouth.

The event is co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour, and in partnership with the Japan Tour.

"The quality of golf courses and the locale are our best selling points," Glading said. "The pros go home and do the selling for us, which is the best way because it lasts a long time, whereas selling with the chequebook only lasts as long as it's out."

Glading said Hendry was "touch and go" for an $8 million prize purse with a "minimum $50,000 for turning up", but was prepared to forego that.

Fox had the option of a European tour event but declared his local loyalty in November.

New Zealand Open chairman John Hart said their focus was on sustainable growth.

Ryan Fox tees off on the 1st hole tee box during the final round of the PGA Championship. Photo / William Howard/Icon Sportswire

"We are realistic. We have watched and seen what appearance money does in these tournaments.

"We've had experience in New Zealand of Tiger Woods [2002] coming and the financial disaster that turned out to be. We are not going to pay appearance money. We want people to come here because they want to play the tournament.

"We will give them a great time, we will host them in a way that they won't be hosted at other events. We hope to attract a top-10 player, but I think to pay $1 million for a one-year thing is a bad investment. We have debated it at length in our committee, but I'm strong on it."

Hart said their goal was to get a $1.5-1.6 million prize pool over the next three years.

He believed bringing a player of KJ Choi's pedigree, with eight PGA tour titles to his name, would help.

"We shouldn't underestimate his involvement this weekend.

"He's a god in Asia. Our Asian television audiences will grow immensely with him here.

Hart said work was also needed to get buy-in from the incoming Labour-led government.

"Fundamentally our biggest supporter is our government because of the opportunities it brings in terms of tourism.

"I don't think you can get a better back drop. The television pictures going around the world offer a tremendous return on investment."

Hart said 95 per cent of the tournament had been funded out of New Zealand and 5 per cent internationally in year one.

Seven years later 80 per cent of commercial revenues came from offshore, particularly in Asia.

"That was why the government came on from the start," Hart said.

"Part of the conditions of involvement were to use this as a linchpin to build economic and business relationships into Asia."

Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson and Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones are expected to attend the tournament at the Central Otago town near Queenstown.

"Our job is to convince this government the investment will help," Hart said.