KEY POINTS:
Former New Zealand Open champion David Smail will contest next week's championship at Gulf Harbour, bringing to nine the number of previous winners in the 156-strong field. Smail, a longtime and successful player on the Japan Tour, won the 2001 title at The Grange in Auckland. Other past champions confirmed for the Blue Chip-sponsored Open are Australians Peter Fowler, Terry Price, Lucas Parsons, Peter O'Malley and Craig Parry, and New Zealand trio Michael Campbell, Michael Long and Mahal Pearce. World No 22 Campbell will be the highest-ranked player in the event, which carries a $1.5 million purse.
