Golf: Australia allocate time for NZ Open

Photo / Janna Dixon

The New Zealand Golf Open could have its best field in years in 2011 - if commercial hurdles can be overcome.

While doubts continue on this side of the Tasman, the Australian PGA expects the NZ Open to go ahead and say it could be played the same week as the high-profile Presidents Cup. They also say timings and venue must be wrapped up by the end of this month.

"There have been no discussions about it not proceeding," says Australian PGA CEO Max Garske. "We would have liked to have finalised things by now but it didn't happen. It seems things got very close a couple of times but didn't quite fall into place at their end."

NZ Golf CEO Dean Murphy has maintained there are no issues around sponsorship or funding but Garske understands the ongoing delay was due to "commercial reasons".

"Hopefully things will be confirmed within a week - it needs to be confirmed by the end of this month at the latest. We really can't wait beyond that."

The Australian PGA have pencilled in December 8-11 for the New Zealand event. They have also offered a window that straddles Presidents Cup week (November 17-20) when the best golfers on the globe will descend on Australasia as the top 12 Americans take on the best dozen from the rest of the world (excluding Europe).

"We have suggested they look at that week as an alternative. There would be a lot of logistics to sort out, especially with television commitments in both countries - but it offers the chance of a great field. Only the big guns play Presidents Cup; the others have a week off and will be looking for a tournament to enter."

The NZ Open has recently struggled to attract world-class players, partly because of the timing. Its previous incarnation in January was not ideal for the top Aussies who were either playing in Hawaii or heading off for European Tour events. The proposed December date would offer similar problems, with players drained at the end of a long season.

"They are so tired by the time they come home," says Garske. "We struggle to get them to enter our events in the last few weeks of the year and, by the end of the Australian PGA (November 24-27), they are looking forward to a Christmas break."

A further bonus is the events either side of the Presidents Cup (Australian Open and Australian PGA) are both One Asia tour events, carrying minimum prize money of US$1 million ($1.32 million) and attract many top golfers from Asia.

"It would be nice for them to have something more substantial to play in that week rather than a state-based event like the NSW Open."

Garske has left the decision to NZ Golf, and it is a tricky one. Garske still feels the December 8-11 window is "most likely" for the New Zealand event. The juggling act around television is a vexed question. NZ Golf has to provide live coverage around the world, but how many international networks will pick it up when it is played at the same time of the Presidents Cup? It also depends on sponsorship commitments, which may have already been finalised.

Garske hopes a solution can be found.

"[The Presidents Cup] will be the biggest ever golf event in Australia," he says. "The rivalry is really building and its status is becoming something comparable to the Ryder Cup. It would become a really significant four weeks in Australasian golf."

There still appears to be confusion at NZ Golf headquarters as Murphy told the Herald on Sunday their flagship event "could precede or go later than that date", when clearly there is no room beyond December 11. Murphy also stated there was still a chance the 2011 event could be a One Asia tour event, but Garske confirms this is "not an option".

Garske is also unconcerned the venue is still up in the air.

"That is up to them," he says. "At the end of the day golf pros love to play on the best courses around but they would probably play up the middle of the main street of Christchurch if the offering was right."