Golf: NZ Open prize pool increased

Dimitrios Papadatos of Australia sinks the winning piutt to win the 2014 New Zealand Open. photo / Getty Images

New Zealand's flagship golf tournament has increased its prize pool to $1m and will be broadcast live here and in Japan.

The NZ Open has joined up with new naming rights sponsor, BMW, for the tier one tournament on the PGA Tour of Australasia which will be played at the Hills and Millbrook courses in Queenstown from March 12-15 next year.

Initial details were unveiled today in Auckland by John Hart, chairman of the organizing committee, at a tournament launch attended by Prime Minister John Key.

Steven Joyce, the Minister for Economic Development, also confirmed $700,000 from the Major Events Development Fund will be invested in the tournament for the next two years and that the government will invest $250,000 a year towards television production.

The event's promoter, Michael Hill Tournaments Limited, will match that $250,000 investment each year to help the commercial aims.

Sky will broadcast the tournament live in New Zealand with graphics and other details supplied by the Ian Taylor-owned Animation Research Limited which is involved in the production of many global tournaments.

The NZ Open will also screen to a potential audience of eight million homes in Japan and 15 spaces will be reserved for Japanese golfers in the tournament which is sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia.

"We look forward to welcoming a quality field of professional golfers to play for one of the biggest prize purses ever seen in New Zealand," Hart said.

"We very much appreciate the continued support the tournament has received from the Government, locally from the Queenstown Lakes District Council and from New Zealand Golf. The introduction of live television has taken the event to a new level with increased investment and support from sponsors both here in New Zealand and offshore."

A professional field of 144 golfers will play alternate rounds at the Hills and Millbrook before the cut at 60 players and ties. The last two rounds will be held at the Hills. A pro-am will run alongside the main event.