Williams leaving Manawatu GC for Mount Maunganui, Collett selected as replacement

The New Zealand PGA Championship will mark the end of Manawatu Golf Club general manager Michael Williams’ tenure at the club.

Williams is heading to Mount Maunganui where he will take up the same role with the Mount Maunganui Golf Club.

Manawatu Golf Club announced on Thursday that Warren Collett has been appointed as his replacement and will start on March 27.

He will become Manawatu Golf Club’s 13th manager since the club was established in 1895.

But before he arrives, Williams has the rather important task of ensuring the smooth running of the New Zealand PGA Championship which runs the week of February 27.

He listed seeing the club turn its Charles Tour event into a stop on the Australasian PGA Tour as one of the highlights of his time there.

“The development of the tournament has been pretty special,” he said. “It is pretty cool that we have gone from a 72-hole amateur event played over the weekend to, this year, the New Zealand PGA. It is a pretty rapid rise through the tournament ranks which is great.”

He said he has enjoyed his time at the Hokowhitu club since starting as its general manager in May 2011.

“It has been a really good place to be involved in and a lot has happened,” he said.

“I came in after the clubhouse was built, but a major highlight is that the club has been able to make the most of the new building. It has been great to see good utilisation of that with the cafe and the bar which has helped the club become a sustainable financial model by doing the functions and events.

“The course has developed and it is looking pretty good. We put on some extra green staff five-six years ago which helps the preparation of the course and I think the quality has gone up a notch or two. The covered range we have got down here is a great asset.”