Caerwyn Ross Wins Kitchen Creators PBGC Open

Caerwyn Ross has won the Kitchen Creators, PBGC 36 Hole Open on countback from Darae Chung after the two youngsters were tied at the end of play, Ross winning courtesy of a lower final round (71 to 73)

Three years ago Kitchen Creators, the event sponsor and prominent Kapiti business, and long time corporate partner with PBGC, in discussion with the club looked at how to grow the event. The two parties changed the format to 36 hole and 18 hole competitions within the same tournament. A hugely successful move that sees upwards of 110 competitors competing on the famous links.

To 2021 and another innovative by bPBGC, to provide the opportunity for both male and female players to win the 36 hole open title. Aligning strongly with Sport NZ, Golf NZ and Golf Wellington's support of the "Womens and Girls Ambition for Sport" a direction that more than 100 organisations have signed onto nationally - providing real opportunities at all levels for Women and Girls, walking the talk so to speak.

Following on from Golf NZ's lead in providing this level playing field in their Charles Tour events, this opportunity is created by the science of either equalizing the relative course length at approx. 85% or using the difference in course ratings as an adjustment.

So at the end of regulation play around a challenging layout, a light southerly and strong course set, Caerwyn posted 70, 71, matched by Darae's 71, 73 less adjustment, 141 totals for both. These two headed off Jonno Cane on 143, Matt Morris on 144, EJ Nicholson on 146 and Sam Marsters and David Zohrab on 147.

The event was run under Level 2 guidelines, significant planning between Kitchen Creators and PBGC ensuring the tournament was able to be held - triple registration through QR code scanning, tournament entry and DotGolf, sanitising, lunch packs collected by a single player, just a winners presentation - no larger prizegiving, and ticketed entry for just 50 people, the championship winners, key corporate partners, guests - an important component of sponsored events