Golf: NZ PGA Championship returning in a February spot

The New Zealand PGA Championship is back on the domestic golf calendar for the first time in 16 years.

The $1.12 million event will be played at Christchurch's Clearwater Golf Club from February 26-29 next year and takes over from the former Clearwater Classic, which had been held for the past two years.

Like the Clearwater Classic, the PGA Championship will be co-sanctioned by the US PGA's secondary Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Mike Godinet, sales and marketing director for event organisers Tuohy and Associates, said that after such a long break it was "fantastic to have such a tournament back on the Australasian golf circuit."

"With a history dating back to 1920, there have been many outstanding winners' names such as Peter Thomson, Sir Bob Charles, Jumbo Ozaki, Frank Nobilo, Kel Nagle and Greg Turner on the championship cup," Godinet said.

"With the calibre of the Nationwide Tour fields that have played at Clearwater in the past two years it will be a great international event," he said.

The chief executive of the PGA Tour of Australasia, Andrew Georgiou, welcomed the tournament's return.

"The New Zealand PGA Championship is a major title in New Zealand golf, and the national and international flavour of this event will lift its profile to the status it fully deserves."

- NZPA