New Zealand’s professional golf circuit has increased from five to six tournaments a year.
The latest addition to the Jennian Homes Charles Tour is the Christies Flooring Mount Open which will be held at the Mount Maunganui Golf Club in Tauranga.
That means Tauranga will now host two Charles Tour events, the other being the Carrus Open at the Tauranga Golf Club. The Carrus Open is in April.
A date has yet to be confirmed for the Christies Flooring Mount Open but it is likely to be in December, 2019. It will carry prizemoney of $50,000 which is the same as the other Charles Tour tournaments.
New Zealand Golf general manager Dave Mangan was pleased to welcome the new venue and what the opportunity provided for New Zealand golfers.
“New Zealand Golf is very excited to welcome a new venue onto the Jennian Homes Charles Tour,’’ Mangan said.
``The Mount Maunganui Golf Club has a proud history of hosting New Zealand Amateur Championships as well as the New Zealand PGA championship.
“Raising a prize purse of $50,000 for the tournament is a significant challenge, so we’re fortunate that the club have a great supporter in Christies Floorings.’’
Mangan added a sixth New Zealand tournament was another important stepping stone for the country’s top amateurs and up-and-coming professionals.
“The Jennian Homes Charles Tour represents an important part in the development of our elite amateurs and rookie professionals, so having a further event for them to develop their skills as they work towards their golfing aspirations is an important part of what New Zealand Golf wants to do.”
Christies Floorings chief executive Dave Gerrand, who has played a big role in giving New Zealand golfers another chance to challenge themselves against the country’s best, was looking forward to the new partnership and how the tournament could benefit Mount Maunganui.
“It is a pleasure to be able to assist in bringing top quality golf to the Mount Maunganui Golf Club for members to enjoy,” Gerrand said.
Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless added he was delighted to see another top tournament for the city.
“It’ll be another great opportunity for our community to view some of New Zealand’s top golf golfers, playing the sport at its highest level in New Zealand’s fifth-largest city,” Brownless said.
“Tournaments like this play a key role in our city. They build community spirit and local pride, they promote our region and boost the local economy. Council proudly supports the development of golf in New Zealand and is committed to attracting world-class tournaments to the city.”
Mountt Maunganui’s new general manager Mike Williams has gained great experience coming from the Manawatu Golf Club where he hosted four Jennian Homes Charles Tour events, as he looks to create an equally successful event at the Mount Maunganui Golf Club.
“It’s exciting to bring four-round professional golf back here after its rich history of hosting the New Zealand PGA Championship in the 60s and 70s,” Williams said.
“We hope to bring an event the club can be proud of. It is great to have Christies Floorings onboard as Dave [Gerrand] is a long-time member and supporter of the Mount. He is local and a local business so it is a great fit for us.”