"I'm here trying to fundraise for my charity. The organisers invited me and I thought it would be a good opportunity to try raise some funds," he said.
"We support sick children through Starship and the Ronald McDonald House."
In 2008 the foundation began a relationship with the Starship children's hospital in Auckland to partner it with the rebuild of its oncology unit. The completed unit now bears the Steve Williams Foundation's name.
In demand around the world as a speaker, Williams donates all of his speaking fees to the foundation.
A strong field took to the Whangarei course with the likes of newly qualified European Tour member Josh Geary, the in-form Mark Brown and China Tour member Luke Toomey battling the less than ideal weather.
While Williams was on hand at the hole, he wasn't spouting insider tips. Rather he stuck to the basics.
"I'm not really giving them any advice. I'm just letting them know how far it is to the pin," he said.
"It's a charity hole so if they donate some money they can get some balls. There's prizes if they get on the green and everyone that enters is in the big draw to win the main prize of some plumbing wear at the end."
After the opening day, Williams was the guest speaker at the tournament dinner. He said beforehand it was going to be a Q&A session with the audience and expected some questions about former colleague Woods.
"Generally people want to know how the PGA Tour is going and who's doing well there," he said.
"With Tiger Woods coming back into form there will no doubt be people wanting to know some insight into that, not that I can give a heap of it since I don't work with him."
