Tickets on sale as Holden NZPGA Championship set for return

Tickets on sale as Holden NZPGA Championship set for 2016 return

Golfing spectacle on course to become a highlight of Auckland’s sporting calendar

Auckland – 24 November 2015: Some of New Zealand and Australia’s biggest golfing talents will again descend upon Auckland next year to compete for glory in the Holden NZPGA Championship 2016.

Tickets go on sale today for the classic four-round PGA event which will be held at Remuera Golf Club from 3-6 March 2016 and is one of just two premier professional golf tournaments to make up the New Zealand leg of the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Competitors in next year’s event will be looking to take the title from Australian golfer and reigning Holden NZPGA Champion Matthew Millar after he posted an outstanding 18-under 270 earlier this year.

With a total prize purse of $125,000 and valuable PGA ranking points on the line, the tournament is set to be an outstanding showcase of professional golf in the Southern Hemisphere, PGA of New Zealand chief executive Duncan Simpson said.

“Golf on this side of the Tasman stands in incredibly good stead, with Kiwi golfers punching well above their weight on the international circuit. The Holden NZPGA Championship provides a stage for us to witness this talent first hand and celebrate the growth of the game in our own backyard,” he said.

First played in 1920, the Holden NZPGA Championship made a successful comeback earlier this year cementing itself as a firm feature of Auckland’s summer sporting calendar.

Local and international golfers playing in the 2016 tournament will continue a 95-year legacy paved by Kiwi golfing greats including Sir Bob Charles, Frank Nobilo, Greg Turner and Michael Hendry.

New Zealand competitors will look to have their name engraved on the Sir Bob Charles Trophy for the leading New Zealand golfer in the event, alongside this year’s winner Josh Geary.

“New Zealand deserves a tournament of this calibre and we are excited to build on the success of this year’s event by creating something special that speaks not only to golfing enthusiasts, but to people looking for an entertaining great value day out with friends and family,” Mr Simpson said.

Glowing feedback from both competitors and spectators at this year’s event is proof of efforts to deliver a true golfing spectacle Mr Simpson said, in the same vein as premium annual tennis and cup racing events.

New Zealand professional golfer Ryan Fox said of the 2015 event, “Holden and the Remuera Golf Club did a fantastic job of putting on a great event with a very short time frame to do it.”

“The whole week with the crowds, all the events and the marquees made it feel like a much bigger event than what the purse showed and I know all the players enjoyed their week in Auckland. I'm sure next year the event will be even bigger and I can't wait for the opportunity to play it again.”

The popular Pro-Am tournament is also returning, featuring well-known New Zealand sporting stars, celebrities and business leaders, and will take place on March 2 as a curtain-raiser to the main event.

“We are working hard to deliver a fresh format that will cater to individuals, families and those looking for a corporate hosting opportunity with a difference,” Mr Simpson said.

“Golf is one of our quintessential summer pastimes, whether you are a scratch golfer, or like to hack the ball around the fairway on the weekends, golf is a game to be enjoyed the way you want to.”

A number of affordable ticketing options will be made available from today, ranging in price from free entry for kids, to $20 for a single adult day pass, through to $225 for a Championship Club day pass including access to the corporate lounge where food and beverages are provided.

“The Holden NZPGA Championship will be accessible for everyone no matter their age or budget. By providing free entry we want to encourage Kiwi kids to learn more about the great game of golf and with Christmas coming up, tickets make for the ideal stocking filler,” Mr Simpson said.

Corporate hospitality packages will also be available offering entry to the preliminary Pro-Am tournament, tickets to the tournament and official launch party, food and beverages, car-parking, official merchandise and up to 15 complimentary rounds of golf for guests.

A free shuttle service will operate between the course and key locations within the city for the duration of the event and extensive free parking will be available in the adjacent Waiatarua Reserve.

Tickets are now on sale through ticketek.co.nz.

AT A GLANCE

Holden NZPGA Championship 2016

When: 3-6 March 2016
Where: Remuera Golf Club, Auckland
Ticket entry: Tickets from $20 and free entry for kids
What: 72-hole strokeplay, PGA Tour of Australasia event
Prize purse: (NZD) $125,000
Defending champion: Matthew Millar (AUS)

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