$5.5m to support NZ Golf Opens
New Zealand’s two major golf opens will receive $5.5 million of government funding over the next three years.
The money will come from the Major Events Development Fund, with $2.7 million to support the McKayson New Zealand Women’s Open from 2017 to 2019. This year’s event has been elevated to LPGA Tour status, boasting a prize purse of $1.3m.
A further $2.8 million will be invested over those three years in support the ISPS Handa NZ Golf Open (men’s). The 2017 tournament gets underway in Queenstown on Thursday.
The announcement was made by Economic Development Minister Simon Bridges and Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman on Wednesday.
Bridges said the tournaments were a great way to showcase New Zealand to a global audience, including wealthy golf tourists in the United States, China and Japan.
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