KEY POINTS:
On Wednesday I played a tournament worth $100,000. And I three-putted twice to lose by one shot.
This was surely the most extraordinary pro-am ever played in this country. The Kiwi Cup, a one-round event at Cape Kidnappers concluded a quite splendid few days hosted by Julian Robertson and his family. Four of the world's best young players played Kauri Cliffs and then the Cape in the 36-hole Kiwi Challenge for US$2.6 million.
You'll be able to see what happened later this month when the event plays in two 2-hour specials on Sky. New Zealand is one of 81 countries where the television show has been sold.
Suffice to say that, from the time Anthony Kim bombed a 25m putt from the fringe of the first green at Kauri Cliffs to the sudden death playoff the next day at Cape Kidnappers, it was a heck of a tournament.
The weather was beautiful, the crowds were substantial, especially in Hawke's Bay, and the quality of the golf was sometimes just breathtaking.
But after the Kiwi Challenge came the Kiwi Cup with 16 four-man teams, most of them spearheaded by a pro, playing an 18-hole best ball tournament from the slightly more friendly white tees.
It was a shotgun start and, as our team drove out to get under way on the second tee, I read the briefing sheet which told us the winning team would have $100,000 to donate to the charity of their choice.
I've never heard of anything like it before, and neither had any of my playing partners who were two wealthy businessmen and NBC TV golf host Dan Hicks. (The field was one professional short so we went without, but had more handicap shots as a consequence.)
The prize was yet another example of Julian Robertson's generosity to the New Zealand community.
The proceeds from the public admission and car parking over the two days of the Kiwi Challenge were donated to charity and came to about $150,000.
So, around $250,000 goes to a number of organisations as a consequence of three days of golf. I doubt any other New Zealand sports event has dispersed such funds before.
For the Kiwi Cup, the Robertson family assembled almost a who's who of New Zealand golf.
Sir Bob Charles was at Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers. Phil Tataurangi came up after the Shirley Open. Greg Turner dusted off his Pings for the first time in three months. Craig Perks made a flying visit from Louisiana.
Marcus Wheelhouse, who's hoping to play again full time in the near future, was there as well. Then John Senden, this year 80th on the US PGA Tour money list and 2006 Australian Open champion, came in from Queensland for the day.
The four stars of the Kiwi Challenge _ Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker and Adam Scott _ all played, as did the NBC commentators. Two of them, Roger Maltbie and Mark Rolfing, have been tour professionals and the other was Steve Williams.
To cut a long story short, our team's best ball score was 61, which was the second equal best of the day. It could have been better if your muggins correspondent had two-putted a couple of times instead of taking three.
But what team didn't have a story like that ? Roger Maltbie's team had 60 and they got to decide where the $100,000 should go.
As of writing, there'd been no final decision but that's not the point. Golf has always been a great method of charity fundraising. Julian Robertson just took it to a new level.
