Tickets for this year’s New Zealand Women’s Open go on sale on March 15. The tournament, for the first time, will be part of the world’s richest golf circuit for women, the Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association (LPGA) Tour. It will carry prizemoney of $US1.3million.
A season ticket will cost $99 but numbers available will be limited. Tickets for the first two days on the Thursday and Friday will be $39 and tickets for the last two days on the Saturday and the Sunday will be $49.
The tournament is to be held from September 28-October 1 and will be held at the new south Auckland course of Windross Farm Golf Club. The course was only opened last October.
Michael Goldstein, of the tournament’s promoter The Clubhouse, said: “We are excited to launch our ticket prices for the McKayson New Zealand Women’s Open, and we are sure that sports fans from across New Zealand will be excited to come to Auckland to watch the world’s greatest compete in our own backyard.”
New Zealand’s star golfer Lydia Ko was on hand in Auckland for the ticket price announcement.
“It gets more exciting each time I am home and come to this course that I realise that we have an LPGA event coming here,” Ko said.
“I think the girls will just love this course and I am looking forward to hosting them at home in Auckland and show off everything this city has to offer.”
Ko has also linked with the tournament’s sponsor McKayson, which is an apparel brand.
She said it was more special as she launches her 2017 season wearing her new McKayson golf range.
“I am really honoured to be working with the McKayson brand and it is fantastic to be my own sponsor as well as backing the New Zealand Open.”
Another on hand for the ticket announcement was McKayson chairman Min Cheol Kim who said he was impressed with his first visit to New Zealand.
Kim said he was thrilled to support both the historic first LPGA Tour event in this country and the launch of his new apparel partnership with Ko.
“It is also an honour for McKayson to be able to partner with the New Zealand Open and with Lydia,’’ Kim said.
“I have enjoyed my time in New Zealand and we are looking forward to helping make this a great event.”
The LPGA Tour is also excited to head to New Zealand with their head of International Business Affairs, Sean Pyun, giving a thumbs-up for the new Windross Farm course.
“Firstly I am impressed with this course. For a new course it looks excellent and will be a good test for the LPGA players,” Pyun said.
“The LPGA has embarked on a strategy to grow the game at all levels. Auckland will be our 17th tournament outside of USA and we continue to have record numbers of girls taking up the game around the globe.”
Fans who pre-register for the limited run of $99 season tickets go into a draw for a VIP experience at the event.