Golf: Sunny smiles as fans flock to Farm

Crowd numbers have pleased LPGA officials. Photo / photosport.nz

Auckland's four-seasons-in-one-day climate might require some adjustment, but crowd numbers and player satisfaction at the first of three McKayson New Zealand Women's Opens at Windross Farm have made par for the LPGA organisers.

Sean Pyun, vice president and managing director of LPGA Asia, said he was "blown away" by the patronage for the opening rounds.

Today's final round will provide a further test of fans' dedication if forecast thunderstorms and gales arrive in the afternoon, but Pyun teed off about what he had observed.

"I've been to about 15 [LPGA] events this year and the Thursday-Friday numbers may have been the biggest crowd I've seen.

"We're blown away by that, because it tells us there's a great market for women's golf and what Lydia [Ko] is doing here.

"I received a call from the [LPGA] commissioner Mike Whan who watched the telecast and said 'that's a great spectating group'."

The LPGA hope the tournament becomes a regular fixture, preferably moving into a two-leg stint with the Australian Open in February to draw a stronger player contingent. That would require negotiation with tournament partners who backed hosting it in the New Zealand spring.

"Those things have to be considered," Pyun said. "We needed to establish the event this year, but we'll talk about weather, a title sponsor, the Auckland and New Zealand government [input] and the LPGA schedule.

"We need to sit down after the event to see whether the September/October timeframe is the long-term model."

Pyun said putting Australia and New Zealand together would make it easier for players to make the trip through economies of scale.

"I've had calls from a lot of players who couldn't be here based on the flow of the schedule, but everybody who made it is ecstatic. The players have been telling me how much they've enjoyed the hospitality.

"Frankly speaking, players are excited to play in different places when the season starts, as opposed to September and October when the season is winding down and players are getting tired.

Pyun said the LPGA needs to popularise events so they are less reliant on Kiwi players such as Ko to draw fans. "That's one thing the LPGA needs to get better at. The majority of the crowd focuses on Lydia, so it's a process of education to appreciate the quality of the golf as opposed to one or two names.

"Those things take time. We've seen it in Korea with Sung Hyun Park, in Thailand with Ariya Jutanugarn, in Mexico with Lorena Ochoa, and in Taiwan with Yani Tseng."

Pyun now wants to master dressing for the fickle weather.

"I've worn a jacket then had to take it off and put it back on. Then it started raining, then I needed my sunscreen," he said with a laugh.