Golf: PGA valued on tournament calendar

The New Zealand PGA golf tournament, currently underway at Christchurch's beautiful Clearwater Resort, only reappeared on the tournament schedule two years ago, after an absence of almost 20 years.

New Zealander Frank Nobilo won the event twice before it went into abeyance in 1987, and kiwi Greg Turner had been the champion the year before that.

The prestigious tournament was resurrected in 2004, when Gavin Coles was the winner. Peter O'Malley continued the Australian resurgence the following year.

The reigning champion from 2006 is Canadian Jim Rutledge, who headed off a quartet of Aussies for the title.