Professional golf returns to city

It has been 33 years since a professional golf tournament was held in Wanganui - a dismal statistic that is about to change.
The Wanganui Pro-Am will be launched in September with the aim of bringing a bit of the big time to the city.
The brainchild of a group of local businessmen and keen golfers, the tournament has been sanctioned by the New Zealand Professional Golfers' Association and hopes to attract up to 60 pros.
The last pro event in the city was the New Zealand Open in 1978, won by Aussie Bob Shearer, who picked up a first prize of $7500 after heading off the challenge of American Scott Simpson. Kiwi golfing legend Bob Charles was among those taking part, as was another British Open champion in the form of Australian great Kel Nagle.
Since then, an event that could pull in some of New Zealand's top names has often been discussed ... but only now has it come to fruition.
The tournament is scheduled for the Wanganui golf club at Belmont from September 23-24, a blank weekend on the Australian and OneAsia tours and falling nicely between four-round Bob Charles tour events in Taupo and New Plymouth.
It will feature teams of one professional with three amateurs in a best nett competition.
Former New Zealand cricketer Stuart Gillespie, golf professional Peter Cassidy, investment specialist Hamish Mackay and John Taylor, chief executive of Balance Chartered Accountants, are the men looking to bring back the buzz.
"It is all about rekindling professional golf in the city," said Cassidy.
"Wanganui used to get good crowds when it hosted the NZ Open but then the emphasis switched to television and marketing and Wanganui was deemed not suitable for TV events."
The foursome are looking for more than a one-off; the hope is to make the tourney a regular fixture on the golfing calendar.
Prize money of $20,000 will not cause too big a splash in the world of pro golf, but the Wanganui event is hoping to attract players of the calibre of Michael Hendry, Richard Lee and Grant Moorhead.