Golf: National body sees a bright future for Open

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New Zealand Golf is taking a punt as it reclaims financial ownership of the game's flagship event in this country.

The organisation is convinced it can do a superior job of overseeing the New Zealand Open than a previous administration which bled $1.2 million in losses for the championship in 2006 and 2007.

NZG chief executive Dean Murphy yesterday ended a long wait by announcing the 2011 New Zealand Open, offering prizemoney of at least $500,000, will be sanctioned by the Australasian PGA Tour and played at Clearwater in Christchurch on December 1-4.

The naming rights sponsor is BMW, there will be financial support from the Christchurch City Council, probably in the vicinity of $400,000, and the championship will be played at the same venue in 2012 and 2013.

NZG estimates the championship will cost $1.5 million to $1.7 million to stage.

The three previous Opens were stunning successes at jewellery magnate Michael Hill's private course outside Queenstown and the multi-millionaire was keen to have the event staged again on his property.

Instead, NZG has opted to move it to Christchurch for the first time since 1984 when American Corey Pavin won the championship.

In doing so, it has removed the tournament directorship from Bob Tuohy, the veteran tournament promoter from Australia who ran the three events at The Hills and which he personally underwrote and took all the financial risks.

Murphy said Tuohy's services would probably be employed in some capacity for this year's tournament but the exact details had yet to be hammered out with the former tour player.

"We are looking to externally resource the very best people to perform the best roles for us."

He is sure careful stewardship will enable NZG to avoid the heavy financial hits it suffered four and five years ago as it regains control of its premier tournament.

"Financially, the structure has to be right. The actual logistics of operating the tournament is a mechanical management thing that we employ resources for.

"The financial structure and the security of the tournament is the critical thing, and you have to have the dollars before you can commit to running the tournament. We have made sure we have done that and we will continue to mitigate as much risk as we can."

A day after a most successful second edition of the New Zealand Women's Open at Pegasus, north of Christchurch, Murphy said he saw bright things for the jewel in NZG's crown.

"It is our challenge now to build a solid commercial structure that can move the event forward, turn it into a profit-making entity and really progress things."

The primary challenge has been to find the most suitable date, bearing in mind NZG is very much dependent on Australian officials and their season schedule.

Murphy hopes to attract a reasonable field, even if the event is now a standalone Australasian tournament as distinct to the previous five championships, which shared co-sanctioning status with the European then American second tier Nationwide circuits.

The Australasian summer will tee off at the top level with the Australian Open, followed by the Presidents Cup, PGA Championship then the New Zealand Open.

"I hope a good proportion of the PGA Championship field at Coolum will play here.

"Now that we have a date we need to start talking to the players."

- NZPA