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Winners return for New Zealand Carrus Tauranga Open golf

Posted by under Latest Golf News, Mens Amateur Golf

Former winners Josh Geary and defending champion Mark Purser are back for the third Carrus Tauranga Open next week which is the opening round of the new New Zealand Amateur Golf Charles Tour.

The tour, with four tournaments on the schedule this year, involves 72 hole events with a $40,000 purse for elite amateurs and professionals, male and female.

Geary, who used the 2005 victory to launch his professional career, has returned from the Canadian PGA Tour to take part in his hometown tournament.

Purser’s win last year, with a brilliant eight-under 63 on the final round, was his first victory as a professional.

The professional field has been boosted with three kiwis on a break from the Asian PGA Tour headed by 2003 New Zealand Open champion Mahal Pearce, Auckland’s Kevin Chun and Christchurch’s Matt Holten.

Other leading professionals include current NZPGA order of merit leader Grant Moorhead (New Plymouth), Tony Christie (Christchurch) and Mark Boe, the Hamilton golfer who recovered from life-threatening injuries to win his first professional event in the Waikato recently.

New Zealand representatives Jared Pender, on his home course, and Nick Gillespie (Hastings) will lead the amateur charge in the men’s ranks along with Ryan Fox, third in the New Zealand Strokeplay Championships recently and fellow Aucklander Leighton James, who was runner-up in this tournament last year.

The women’s field is headed by young Auckland professional Angela Hawkes with significant interest in the appearance of brilliant teenage prospect Dana Kim (Christchurch), who won the New Zealand Strokeplay and Matchplay titles in Wellington last month.

She will be joined by fellow internationals Penny Smith (Rotorua) – her partner in winning the NZ Foursomes title – Larissa Eruera (Auckland) and South Island Amateur Champion Caroline Bon (Whangerei).

“We are delighted with the strength of the field for this first Charles Tour event,” said New Zealand Golf tournament director Graeme Scott. “This has been a successful tournament over the past two years and it is fantastic to attract our best amateurs to test themselves against some of our best and most experienced professionals.”

The Carrus Tauranga Open will carry order of merit points for the PGA of New Zealand that provides important playing opportunities for professionals, while the leading amateur will be granted automatic entry to the New Zealand Open, with a number of other exemption opportunities to be provided for professionals and amateurs.

The Carrus Tauranga Open starts with the Pro Am next Wednesday with tournament proper running from Thursday to Sunday.