Views from the incredible new 11th hole that will feature in the championship Coronet course at Millbrook Resort, Queenstown Millbrook Resort www.millbrook.co.nz
THE COVID19 PANDEMIC AND ITS NUMEROUS VARIANTS CONTINUE TO MAKE GLOBAL TRAVEL A NIGHTMARE. NEW ZEALAND IS STAGING A MANAGED REOPENING OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS WHICH WILL TAKE UNTIL THE END OF APRIL 2022, AND ANY VISITOR TO THE COUNTRY MUST SELF-ISOLATE FOR 7 DAYS. FOR A TOURING PROFESSIONAL THIS IS ALMOST CERTAINLY OUT OF THE QUESTION FOR A TOURNAMENT OF THE RELATIVE STATURE OF THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN, AND AS SUCH HAS CAUSED THE TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE TO MEET AND RETHINK ITS STRATEGY FOR 2022.
NEW ZEALAND OPEN ORGANISERS RELEASED A STATEMENT ON TUESDAY SAYING:
NEW ZEALAND OPEN ORGANISERS RELEASED A STATEMENT ON TUESDAY SAYING:
“We believe that it will be very difficult to convince foreign national professionals to take an extra week out of their playing schedule, particularly at a time when other tournaments around the world are getting back to a more normal situation,” said Tournament Chairman Mr John Hart.
“In all probability, our only option will be to run a tournament that mainly features Kiwi’s, and we are delighted that a number of New Zealand’s leading professionals, including Ryan Fox, Mike Hendry, Josh Geary and others have signalled their support for the event, regardless of format,” said Mr Hart.
“Our process will now be to consult with our tour partners, international players, amateurs, sponsors and other key funding agencies to ascertain what might be possible, and indeed, if we are able to run a financially viable and high quality event” concluded Mr Hart.
A further announcement on the future of the 102nd New Zealand Open and its playing format will be made within the next few weeks, THE EVENT IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE MASTERS, 31-3 APRIL, 2022.
THIS COULD BE A HUGE BLOW TO THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN, AS IT IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY OTHER EVENT LISTED ON THE ASIAN TOUR SCHEDULE, ALONGSIDE THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL, FOR THE UPCOMING 2022 SEASON. THE 2022 ASIAN TOUR SEASON COULD BE THE BIGGEST IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOUR, AND THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN LOOKED LIKE BEING A KEY PART OF THAT, BUT IF IT DOES GO AHEAD WITH JUST KIWI GOLFERS THAT WILL SURELY SEE THE TOURNAMENT REMOVED FROM THE TOUR FOR 2022.
POSSIBLY THE BEST OPTION IS TO PUSH THE 2022 EVENT BACK TO NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECRUIT A STRONG, GLOBAL FIELD NEAR THE END OF THE ASIAN TOUR SEASON.
THIS NEWS FOLLOWS THE ANNOUNCEMENTS A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT THE AUSTRALIAN OPENS FOR MEN AND WOMEN WERE TO BE CANCELLED IN 2021 AND SET TO BE PUSHED BACK TO LATE 2022 IN AN EFFORT TO ALLOW AUSTRALIA TO RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER THE PANDEMIC, INCREASING CHANCES OF RECRUITING A STAR FIELD FOR THE TOURNAMENTS. BUT WITH AN INCREASINGLY CONGESTED SCHEDULE ON BOTH THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THIS WILL HAPPEN IN ANY CASE.
"The decision has not been made lightly but we believe it to be the right outcome under the current circumstances," Golf Australia chief James Sutherland said.
THIS COULD BE A HUGE BLOW TO THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN, AS IT IS CURRENTLY THE ONLY OTHER EVENT LISTED ON THE ASIAN TOUR SCHEDULE, ALONGSIDE THE SAUDI INTERNATIONAL, FOR THE UPCOMING 2022 SEASON. THE 2022 ASIAN TOUR SEASON COULD BE THE BIGGEST IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOUR, AND THE NEW ZEALAND OPEN LOOKED LIKE BEING A KEY PART OF THAT, BUT IF IT DOES GO AHEAD WITH JUST KIWI GOLFERS THAT WILL SURELY SEE THE TOURNAMENT REMOVED FROM THE TOUR FOR 2022.
POSSIBLY THE BEST OPTION IS TO PUSH THE 2022 EVENT BACK TO NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECRUIT A STRONG, GLOBAL FIELD NEAR THE END OF THE ASIAN TOUR SEASON.
THIS NEWS FOLLOWS THE ANNOUNCEMENTS A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT THE AUSTRALIAN OPENS FOR MEN AND WOMEN WERE TO BE CANCELLED IN 2021 AND SET TO BE PUSHED BACK TO LATE 2022 IN AN EFFORT TO ALLOW AUSTRALIA TO RETURN TO NORMAL AFTER THE PANDEMIC, INCREASING CHANCES OF RECRUITING A STAR FIELD FOR THE TOURNAMENTS. BUT WITH AN INCREASINGLY CONGESTED SCHEDULE ON BOTH THE PGA TOUR AND DP WORLD TOUR IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THIS WILL HAPPEN IN ANY CASE.
"The decision has not been made lightly but we believe it to be the right outcome under the current circumstances," Golf Australia chief James Sutherland said.
"The international element means shifting quarantine and travel restrictions wreak havoc on planning and, with our marquee players living abroad, the challenge is even greater.
"The pressure and risk on host venues and organisers is also high - these are small businesses who have already faced huge disruption due to the pandemic."
Golf Australia general manager for events and operations THERESE Magdulski added that public health concerns and continued uncertainty over travel also played their part as the virus continues to flare around Australia.
"When we decided back in June that we'd try to get these tournaments to run again, we weren't even dealing with the Delta variant," she said.
"Everything's changed since then, and it can change again.
"In the end, these are incredibly hard decisions and it's terribly disappointing for everyone in the industry, but we've tried hard to make it happen, and it has not come together as we'd like."THE SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN BEGINS TODAY (THURSDAY), BUT WITHOUT THE CO-SANCTIONING OF THE DP WORLD TOUR AND WITH A VASTLY REDUCED PRIZE FUND FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF THE OMRICON VARIANT IN SOUTH AFRICA. THIS FORCED SEVERAL PLAYERS TO WITHDRAW FROM THE JOBURG OPEN LAST WEEK AND SAW THE ALFRED DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYED NEXT WEEK, CANCELLED.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP, THE 2ND OLDEST OPEN IN THE WORLD, IS SET TO TAKE PLACE ON THE GARY PLAYER COUNTRY CLUB COURSE AT SUN CITY AND THE FIELD INCLUDES GARRICK HIGGO, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, BRANDON STONE, RICHARD STERNE, DEAN BURMESTER, HENNIE OTTO, GEORGE COETZEE, JUSTIN HARDING, THOMAS AIKEN, JAMES KINGSTON, LOUIS DE JAGER, JEAN HUGO, AS WELL AS SCOTLAND'S DAVID DRYSDALE AND ENGLISHMAN AND SON OF GOLF PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID, CHRIS CANNON.
COVERAGE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN IS ON SKY SPORTS GOLF FROM 10AM ON THURSDAY.
Golf Australia general manager for events and operations THERESE Magdulski added that public health concerns and continued uncertainty over travel also played their part as the virus continues to flare around Australia.
"When we decided back in June that we'd try to get these tournaments to run again, we weren't even dealing with the Delta variant," she said.
"Everything's changed since then, and it can change again.
"In the end, these are incredibly hard decisions and it's terribly disappointing for everyone in the industry, but we've tried hard to make it happen, and it has not come together as we'd like."
THE CHAMPIONSHIP, THE 2ND OLDEST OPEN IN THE WORLD, IS SET TO TAKE PLACE ON THE GARY PLAYER COUNTRY CLUB COURSE AT SUN CITY AND THE FIELD INCLUDES GARRICK HIGGO, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, BRANDON STONE, RICHARD STERNE, DEAN BURMESTER, HENNIE OTTO, GEORGE COETZEE, JUSTIN HARDING, THOMAS AIKEN, JAMES KINGSTON, LOUIS DE JAGER, JEAN HUGO, AS WELL AS SCOTLAND'S DAVID DRYSDALE AND ENGLISHMAN AND SON OF GOLF PHOTOGRAPHER DAVID, CHRIS CANNON.
COVERAGE OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN IS ON SKY SPORTS GOLF FROM 10AM ON THURSDAY.
