An eleventh-hour qualification spot will see one Kiwi pro slip between the tee box and the commentary box when the 105th New Zealand Golf Open gets underway next week.
Tim Wilkinson was lining up four days behind the microphone before he fired a four-under-par final round 67 at TiekeGolf Estate near Mystery Creek on the banks of the Waikato River. The Race to Tieke Championship providing one of the last opportunities to qualify for the national open.
Despite finishing third at the Charles Tour event behind Denzel Ieremia and Josh Geary, the qualifying spot was granted to the best performing non-exempt player.
Wilkinson says he wasn’t aware he’d qualified until after the final round.
“I wasn’t looking at the scores, I was just trying to play a solid round.”
A current member of the Korn Ferry Tour, Wilkinson is based in Jacksonville, Florida and plays out of TPC Sawgrass (home of The Players Championship) where his best round is an impressive nine-under-par 63.
Hamilton's Denzel Ieremia has claimed the 2026 Race to Tieke title. Photo / BW Media
The 47-year-old is back home for six weeks.
“I’m trying to get as much golf in as possible while I’m here,” he said.
That will now include the NZ Open at Millbrook near Arrowtown, where he will balance his playing schedule with his broadcast schedule.
“Michael Glading, Golf NZ and NZPGA have been amazing. I offered to give my spot up but Michael said to me ‘you never know how many more NZ Opens you’ll play’.” said Wilkinson, who has also commentated in the United States.
Playing and commentating the same event will be a first for the veteran left-hander.
“I have an early start on Thursday so I should have some good insight when I’m commentating in the afternoon.”
Tim Wilkinson during the first round of the 2018 US Open Golf Championship at Shinnecock Hills. Wilkinson is still a member of the Korn Ferry Tour and is eyeing a switch to the Senior Tour when he's eligible. Photo / Photosport
He’s buying into the theory that having extra duties in the commentary box will keep him relaxed when he has a club in hand – though his voice could be missing from the fourth round if his hot form sends him to the final groupings.
Wilkinson, who played his first New Zealand Open in 2001 when Tiger Woods graced the links of Paraparaumu, says he’s relatively familiar with the Millbrook course.
Tim Wilkinson during the 3rd round of the
2018 New Zealand Golf Open at Millbrook Golf Resort. Photo / Photosport
Despite only playing a handful of professional events in recent seasons, he says he’s still playing regularly with quality players and will head back to Q School at the end of the year. Wilkinson is also eyeing a place on the senior tour once he turns 50.
Buoyed by the success of compatriot Steven Alker, he says there aren’t many professional sports leagues where you can be at the younger end of the field – as well as experienced. He’s also looking forward to enjoying a physical advantage again.
“I’ll go from the bottom half in driving distance to probably the top 10.”
But first he’ll have his eyes fixed on the NZ Open – whether he’s carrying a microphone or a putter.
Mike Thorpe is a senior multimedia journalist for the Herald, based in Christchurch. He has been a broadcast journalist across television and radio for 20 years and joined the Herald in August 2024.
