Millbrook Classic a one-off replacement for NZ Open

The New Zealand Open may have been cancelled but a $150,000 replacement tournament has been announced.

The replacement is the Millbrook Classic which will be played at Millbrook, near Queenstown, on April 2-3 which are the same two days the New Zealand Open would have concluded.

Caption: A stunning backdrop to one of the holes of the new Coronet course at Millbrook Resort near Queenstown. Photo credit: millbrook.co.nz .

The Millbrook Classic will be a one-off pro-am event and is aimed to provide support for Kiwi professional golfers, many of whom have been adversely affected by the effects of the covid-19 pandemic, particularly with limited playing opportunities.

When announcing the cancellation of the 2022 New Zealand Open, tournament organisers indicated they intended to hold a smaller pro-am event that could be hosted within the red light setting of the New Zealand covid protection framework.

The Millbrook Classic will feature New Zealand professionals, some of the country’s best elite amateur players.

New Zealand Open tournament chairman John Hart said that the team recognised the need to support New Zealand-based players who have had a very difficult time in the past two years.

“Since the pandemic hit our shores, Kiwi professionals have been faced with restrictions not only cancelling events here in New Zealand, but also affecting the ability to travel to tournaments throughout the world,” Hart said.

“We are delighted that we have been able to pull the Millbrook Classic together in such a short amount of time.

``My thanks go to Millbrook Resort for their amazing ongoing support. Their funding, combined with an allocation of funding from the regional events' fund, assistance from one of the New Zealand Open sponsors, and from Golf New Zealand, has allowed us to stage this two-day pro-am and hopefully relieve some financial pressure for the players.”

The Millbrook Classic invited professional field will comprise 28 playing spots (26 professionals and two elite amateurs), each of whom will be paired with a paying amateur.

The pro-am amateur field entrant fee will not only cover their own costs, but also the accommodation and golfing costs of one of the invited professionals for the Millbrook Classic.

“Our aim is to make this a special occasion for the professionals, with prizemoney being distributed across the whole field,’’ Hart added.

``This will allow visiting players to stay at Millbrook Resort for the three nights at no cost, and any costs of getting to and from the event being well and truly offset by the prize pool.”

• The Millbrook Classic Pro-Am tournament will be held at Millbrook Resort across the weekend of April 2-3. Played across 36 holes, both rounds will be played on the newly opened Coronet course.

• The Millbrook Classic professional field will comprise a minimum of 28 playing spots (24 professionals and four elite amateurs).

• The Millbrook Classic professional field will compete for a purse of $140,000, and a further $10,000 to be allocated to the leading five professionals within the pro-am section of the event, bringing the total purse to $150,000.

• The professional field will be selected from both the NZPGA order of merit standings for 2021 and 2022, as well as from the Charles Tour order of merit standings for both years.

• Golf NZ will also invite two of their elite amateur players to contest this event.