Leading New Zealand golfers Phil Tataurangi and Tim Wilkinson have accepted invitations to compete in the New Zealand PGA Championship at Clearwater near Christchurch next month.
Both United States-based players are looking to re-establish their careers after disappointing returns last year, although Tataurangi has two opportunities on thePGA Tour in the next two weeks under his tour medical exemption.
Plagued by back injuries over the last few seasons, Tataurangi will play in the Buick Invitation in San Diego this week and the AT & T event at Pebble Beach next weekend.
High-placed finishes in either of these tournaments could see Tataurangi receive a lifeline for further events on the tour, otherwise he will play the Nationwide Tour in 2007.
He is scheduled to play the Jacob's Creek event in Adelaide from February 15-18, the second Nationwide Tour event of the year and a week before the third -- the New Zealand PGA.
Wilkinson missed last year's tournament at Clearwater through illness which plagued him throughout the early part of the season.
Last year He made 13 cuts from 25 starts on the Nationwide Tour, finishing 73rd on the money list.
The first Nationwide Tour event of the season starts this week in Panama City.
