Sir Bob Charles and I – a walk and talk chat for TV as he plays his supposedly last NZ Open in 2004
With the 2026 New Zealand Open fast approaching, my involvement in a commentary role again rekindles some lovely memories of an event which I first attended in 1971 as an 18-year-old, beginning a long association, in various capacities, with one of the world’s oldest national golf Open Championships.
Having caddied in 13, commentated in 17, and attended another five in my capacity as a golf journalist, I have enjoyed many special moments in New Zealand’s golfing flagship, and, in this article, I reflect on some of the moments which have stood out to me over the years.
My first involvement at a New Zealand Open was in 1971 at the Otago Golf Club in Dunedin. It was the first of two significant golf events in Dunedin that year, as, the following week, the second Otago Charity Classic was played at the St Clair Golf Club on the other side of the city.
I caddied for John Lister in both events, but the greatest memory of that week was Peter Thomson winning his 9th and final New Zealand Open title. Thomson is the most prolific winner of New Zealand Open titles, followed by Kel Nagle’s 7. While I cannot recall much about Thomson’s performance that week, it is nice to know that my first exposure to the event was such a milestone in New Zealand golf.
In 1973, my good friend Michael Glading and I were travelling together on the New Zealand circuit, Michael caddying for Bob Charles and myself for John Lister.
The win by Bob Charles in the event at the Manawatu Golf Club in Palmerston North that year was a great thrill for us boys who were having fun on the road, and given it was the first occasion Michael had caddied for the winner of any event, let alone the New Zealand Open, it was a great thrill for the son of a two-time New Zealand Open winner (Bob)
It was Charles’ fourth and final New Zealand Open victory, but his impact on the event and New Zealand golf generally continues to this day.
I was never able to add to my collection of caddy wins at the New Zealand Open but, in 1979, John Lister decided to give the New Zealand Open at the St Clair Golf Club a miss due to an ongoing battle with New Zealand Open tournament organisers so I grabbed the bag of Simon Owen who I had caddied for several years earlier in Europe, including when he defeated Peter Oosterhuis in a playoff to win the German Open in 1974.
Simon led into the final round and was still ahead as he played the short par 4 6th hole, but a clubbing mistake on both our parts saw his approach soar over the green, leading to a double bogey and an eventual three-shot loss to Australian Stewart Ginn. It was a gutting mistake, and although Simon had won the event at Heretaunga Golf Club in 1976, it was the one that got away for me.
1983 was my last involvement as a caddy at the New Zealand Open, that event won by Ian Baker-Finch, but it would be the last time I partnered with the prolific winner of events in New Zealand, John Lister.
I attended the New Zealand Open at Russley Golf Club in Christchurch in 1985 as a spectator, witnessing the second of two wins by the fabulous American golfer Corey Pavin who had also won the previous year at Paraparaumu, but it would be another 11 years before I got the chance to again walk the fairways of a New Zealand Open and this time it was in the role as the on course commentator for TVNZ’s coverage of the event won by Australian Peter O’Malley.
By then, I was living in Australia, but the opportunity came to be involved in the coverage, and I jumped at it. Interestingly, it was the second of two New Zealand Opens played in 1995, Lucas Parsons winning the one held earlier in the year.
A special moment for me was doing a ‘walk and talk’ with O’Malley as he played the final hole at the Grange Golf Club in Auckland, such was his significant lead as he strolled to victory. He won by three over American Scott Hoch, but O’Malley possessed such a laid-back attitude that he was not bothered by the request from the pesky on-course commentator.
In 1998, I was again involved as the on-course commentator at the Formosa Golf Club near Beachlands in Auckland and witnessed one of the most emotional speeches I have ever seen when Matthew Lane struggled through his acceptance speech after an impressive three-shot victory over Australian Rod Pampling, who had the services of Steve Williams on his bag, just a few months before Williams joined forces with Tiger Woods.
It was an emotional but very special moment for Lane and those who witnessed such a gutsy win by a golfer who had struggled for most of his career to play at the level his most significant win showed he was capable of doing.
Two years later, I was again asked to be part of the commentary team, this time at Paraparaumu Beach, when Michael Campbell defeated his fellow New Zealander Craig Perks in a playoff to win his own national open.
Most golfers will tell you that to win their own national open is second only to winning a major, and for Campbell to have done so in front of friends and family so close to his hometown of Titahi Bay made the achievement even more memorable.
It would be Campbell’s only win in the event, although he did finish runner-up in three of the next six years.
Dunedin’s Mahal Pearce became the last New Zealander to win the New Zealand Open for the next 14 years when he was successful at the Middlemore Golf Club in Auckland (now Royal Auckland) in 2003, and it was again yet another thrill in my role as the on-course commentator to see a New Zealander win again.
In 2004, the New Zealand Open at the Grange in Auckland was to have been the last appearance of Sir Bob Charles in the event. He had organised two of his companions from the PGA Tour Champions (Dave Stockton and Jay Sigel) to play the event as part of a swansong to New Zealand’s greatest golfing ambassador.
On the Friday it was becoming clear that Charles would miss the cut and I alerted the producer that as things were getting close to 6.00 pm, and aware of the obsession by commercial networks to take the 6.00 PM News ahead of anything, that we should try and get a chat with Sir Bob as he played what was to be his final hole in an event that in many ways symbolised his contribution to NZ sport as he would not be around for the weekend.
Sir Bob and I walked from his tee shot to the final green, and, after I had asked him the first question, he outlined his thoughts on the occasion. It was to me a very special moment, although three years on, (see later) he would again play the New Zealand Open following his steadfast support of the event and its move to The Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown.
30 years earlier than the 2004 New Zealand Open, I had caddied for Sir Bob when winning the 1974 Swiss Open. The chance to chat with him on air as he made what was to be his final NZ Open appearance was, therefore, very special to me. Three years later, he produced a stunning performance at the 2007 version.
The New Zealand Open was sanctioned with the European Tour over the next three years, two of those at Gulf Harbour in Auckland and in 2006, Australian Nathan Green put together a stunning final round of 67 in some of the most demanding playing conditions to win by two after starting nearly three hours ahead of the final group.
I was, by then, commentating for the European Tour and joined the legendary Renton Laidlaw to broadcast what is known as the world feed, which was an alternate to the local commentary. Having gotten to know Nathan through some work I was doing for his website, I located him after his round and asked if he could join us for 15 minutes in the commentary box as we watched those behind him on the golf course battle the increasingly difficult conditions.
Nathan stayed for around 45 minutes, and despite having been initially heading for the airport, so far off the lead was he when his round finished, it became apparent that he might be involved in a playoff or, even better, a win. He did win by two over a group of six players, including Michael Campbell.
In late 2007, the New Zealand Open moved south to the Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown, where perhaps one of the greatest feats in the history of the event was produced when Sir Bob Charles, at the age of 71, became the oldest player to make the cut on any recognised tour, surpassing the legendary Sam Snead in doing so.
Charles twice broke his age that week, but his contribution to the event was not only his deeds on the golf course, as his advocacy had played a significant role in bringing the event to the Wakatipu Basin and establishing the base for what was to come several years later.
The New Zealand Open left the Arrowtown area for Christchurch after three years, but would return in 2014 when the event adopted its current pro-am format, which has played such a great role in its growth into one of the flagship events on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Since 2014, there have been several notable editions, including in 2017 when Mike Hendry became the first New Zealander since Mahal Pearce’s win in 2003 to take the title after a playoff with Ben Campbell and Brad Kennedy.
Undoubtedly, the feel-good moment, however, would come in 2025 when West Australian Ryan Peake overcame a chequered history, which had included five years in jail, to win his first PGA Tour of Australasia event.
In doing so, Peake leapt into the top three of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and, as a consequence, would end the 2024/2025 season with one of the sought-after DP World Tour cards for the 2026 DP World Tour, and a start at the 2025 Open Championship, which came with the victory.
In that event, Peake got to play with one of his childhood heroes, and fellow left-hander, Phil Mickelson, in the opening two rounds at Royal Portrush, further highlighting the benefits his win at Millbrook Resort had yielded.
Despite the significance of the day and a congested leaderboard, Peake remained stoic as he navigated the final round, helped and calmed to a large degree by his newly recruited caddy for the week, Matthew Fitzsimons, constantly keeping a lid on things.
Peake’s reaction to a holed ten-footer at the last for par and the one-shot victory, however, told the story of just what it meant to him. While his victory speech might not have been as emotional as that of Matthew Lane’s 27 years earlier, it was clear just what a life-changing day it had been.
Just what this year’s New Zealand Open might bring is for the future, but there is little doubting that the event has produced some of the more dramatic moments in not only New Zealand golf but New Zealand sport, and I feel blessed to have been a witness to so many of them.
Keeping an eye on the action at the 2023 New Zealand Open
New Zealand’s Ben Campbell shines in Adelaide
Ben Campbell – hits his tee shot at the 12th today – image LIV Golf
New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, only recently reunited with his Range Goats team, has fully justified his recall with a second round of 63 at the LIV Golf Adelaide event, and at the halfway mark of the event at the Grange Golf Club, he finds himself just one off the pace set by Jon Rahm.
Campbell gained a call-up to the Range Goats in 2025 by Captain Bubba Watson after starting last season as a reserve but ended up playing eleven events with a best of 3rd in Singapore.
Campell entered the Liv Golf Promotions event in January in the belief he may need to regain status, but was recalled to the team for season 2026, this effort no doubt going a long way to securing his future.
Campbell’s round was highlighted by a pitch in from 80 yards or so for eagle at the 18th (not his final hole in this shotgun formatted event) but, in addition, he recorded seven birdies for his round of 9 under.
“Obviously, it’s great to be right up at the top of the leaderboard. It’s always where you want to be.
“I’m looking forward to the course this weekend. Played a lot here in Australia. I feel like I’ve played this style of golf a lot growing up, so it’s really nice to be back here playing this style again, and hopefully some of that experience from playing plenty of amateur events and Aussie Opens, and things like that, over here can rub off on the weekend.
“I think the first couple of years out here, it was great. I learnt a lot from hanging out with the guys, having dinner and that with guys like Rahm and that. I’ve played a couple of times now with them. I don’t think I’ve ever played with Bryson, so looking forward to that tomorrow.
Rahm, too, was bogey-free in his round of 63 to move one clear of Campbell, with Bryson De Chambeau another shot behind Campbell.
The leading Australian is Lucas Herbert, whose round of 65 has him at 7 under and six off the lead and in a share of 7th place.
The Ripper GC Team of Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Elvis Smylie, and Herbert are just one off the pace in the teams event headed by the Range Goats.
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Expectations grow for Rippers GC in Adelaide
Elvis Smylie and Cam Smith enjoying their Tuesday Media appearance
LIV Golf returns to Australia this week with the 4th staging of the LIV Golf Adelaide event at the Grange Golf Club, where the Australian Ripper GC team not only takes the role as the sentimental favourites but arguably the favourites to win the title.
Off the back of Elvis Smylie’s impressive debut win in Riyadh just five days ago, Smylie, Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Lucas Herbert will look to ride the momentum of their team win in Riyadh, along with the local support, to challenge again for yet another team title, having won so convincingly just a few days ago.
To date, the Ripper side or any of their individuals have recorded only one podium finish in either competition in the three previous stagings of the event in Adelaide, but there is every indication that might improve this week. Cam Smith finished 3rd in the individual 2023, and the Ripper Team won in 2024.
The Rippers’ captain, Cam Smith, perhaps summed up the feelings of all when facing the press on Tuesday.
“Yeah, I mean, I think we all just can’t wait to get started. I think this is our biggest week of the year, particularly for us.
“It feels like it’s the league’s biggest event. Feels like everyone wants to play well here. Excited to get the week started.
“I think it’s our biggest week. It’s the team’s biggest week. We all have so many commitments this week.
“It’s draining, but it’s what we expect. We know that we have to deal with it. We’ve been here plenty of times before now. It is Elvis’s first time around, and I feel like the last couple of years, especially, we’ve done a better job of managing the commitments and the outside stuff, so we’re ready to play on Thursday.
“We’re all prepped for it. We’re playing great golf. We’re all playing confidently. It’s nice for Elvis to come out here and immediately shine like he did last week.”
Smylie appeared very much at home in his role as the team’s hottest player at present and is excited by what lies ahead in front of home fans, but, in his usual style, is keeping a lid on things.
“I think the important thing for me personally, and I think from the team’s perspective, is just not get too complacent with what we achieved last week, which was something significant.
“I think we now want to look forward and look for the next mountain to climb, and I think the next mountain is climbing Adelaide, and achieving the team win at home would be incredibly special. I think we’ve got a really good shot. We’re all in great form, and the course is in great condition, and we’re all feeling really confident.
“I think the one thing that I’ve appreciated that I continued to see throughout last week is that I feel like I’ve gained the respect of each player on the tour, which is something that means quite a lot to me. Going into a new environment, you don’t really know what to expect, so you want to feel like you’re well-respected by your competitors, and that’s something that meant a lot to me.”
With the introduction of world rankings or LIV Golf events last week for the first time, Smylie made a huge jump in world rankings last week from 134th to now 77th, and the prospect of another win moving him close to the top 50 in the world is clearly at the forefront of his thinking, especially given the benefit a place in the top 50 provides.
“Yeah, definitely top 50 in the world means that you get in all four majors, which I’m very close to achieving, so it’s great that we do get recognition, as Cam says. At the end of the day, good golf takes care of itself, and yeah, try and win a few more times.
“Ultimately, the Masters is something that’s on my mind now. That’s a conversation that I can start to have, and that is fuel to the fire for me. Let’s see what happens these next few weeks.”
The event begins on Thursday and, for the first time in Adelaide, will be played over 72 holes.
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Pebble Beach begins PGA Tour’s Signature events
Defending champion – Rory McIlroy – image Golf Australia
The PGA Tour’s first of eight Signature Events is played this week at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course, with the select 80-man field taking on two of the most iconic layouts in the US in an event worth US$3.6 million to the winner, and even a top-20 finish will earn US$252,000.
Introduced as an attempt to counter the huge purses of LIV Golf, the events have now become a focus of attention outside the majors and the Players Championship for PGA Tour players.
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am promises a battle between the world’s number one, two and three golfers, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlory, and Justin Rose, Rose joining calculations given his win here two years ago and a 3rd place finish last year.
Having won so impressively two weeks ago at the Farmers Insurance Open, Rose could well upstage the logical favourites.
McIlroy won by two over Shane Lowry here 12 months ago, while Scheffler has been 9th and 6th in his two visits to the event.
The event is played over two venues over the opening two days, with Pebble Beach Golf Links the host for the final 36 holes.
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox and Australians Min Woo Lee and Jason Day represent the down-under brigade, the pair the only qualifiers from our region in the restricted field.
Jason Day has an exceptional record at the event or its equivalent with nine top tens in 15 outings, including a runner-up finish in 2018. Day began this season with a fine runner-up finish at the American Express, but perhaps disappointed at yet another favourite venue when only midfield at the recent Farmers Insurance Open. His record here suggests something better this week, however.
Ryan Fox has slipped in the rankings since the end of 2025, but he has made all three cuts in events he has played in the Middle East and Phoenix. He will play this event for the first occasion.
Min Woo Lee missed the cut at his first two appearances at Pebble Beach, but last year finished an encouraging 17th, so he has hopes of improving on the two midfield finishes he has to his name in this event previously.
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Powerful finish earns Declan O’Donovan Sydney title
Declan O’Donovan – image PGA of Australia
22 year old Sydney golfer, Declan O’Donovan, in just his 7th start as a professional since turning to the paid ranks last November, today not only won his first PGA Tour of Australasia title, but he did so in the most emphatic fashion.
O’Donovan began the final round of the Webex Players Series Sydney event at the Castle Hill Golf Club with a one-shot lead over West Australian Brady Watt, but fell behind by two at one stage early in his round but, with a final round of 67 despite an early double bogey, he was able to win by five.
O’Donovan’s shaky start to the round would see Watt take over the lead by one at the turn and, with another birdie at the 10th, Watt had drawn clear by two over both O’Donovan and Stephanie Kyriacou who had burst out of the blocks on day four with an opening nine of 31 to challenge the leaders after starting the day six shots from the lead.
O’Donovan, though, who had been in or near the lead in last week’s Webex event on the Murray River, unleashed a stunning final stretch with five birdies in his last seven holes and, as Watt and Kyriacou dropped shots over the closing nine, he would win the title and the $A45,000 first prize.
Queensland’s Jake McLeod continued his recent improvement when he finished alone in 4th place.
O’Donovan improves to 18th place in the Order of Merit and secures his future on the PGA Tour of Australasia for the next two years.
Results
Revised Order of Merit
Dream LIV Golf debut for Elvis Smylie
Elvis Smylie
– image courtesy of LIV Golf
23-year-old Australian Elvis Smylie has made a dream start to his LIV Golf career with a win in the opening event of the 2026 LIV Golf Schedule when taking out the LIV Golf Riyadh event in Saudi Arabia.
Smylie, who joined LIV Golf in January after a year on the DP World Tour, won by one over Spain’s Jon Rahm with American Peter Uihlein, another two shots back in third place.
Cameron Smith will be pleased to have extended the invite to Smylie to join his LIV Golf Team Rippers as Smylie’s great week has ensured his team wins the Teams Championship, and in doing so, another US$3 million will be divided amongst the four team members.
Smylie, therefore, collects a total of US$4.75 million for his win, while Smith, Marc Leishman, and Lucas Herbert will earn US$750,000 each in addition to the prizemoney they earned in the individual rundown.
Smylie led the event after round one, shared the lead with Uihlein after 54 holes and produced a stunning bogey-free final round of 8 under 64 to hold off arguably LIV Golf’s best player, Rahm, whose final round of 63 tested Smylie to the limit.
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Brady Watt takes late lead on day two of Webex Sydney
Brady Watt in action today – image PGA of Australia
Perth’s Brady Watt has the halfway lead in the weather-interrupted Webex Player Series Sydney, being played at the Castle Hill Golf Club in Sydney’s north-western suburbs.
The 35-year-old Watt, at one stage the world’s leading amateur after his semi-final placing at the US Amateur Championship in 2013, has struggled to reach those same heights in his professional career, but this weekend offers a great opportunity for a first PGA Tour of Australasia title after three top tens earlier in the season.
Watt holed in one during his opening round of 66 but today added a bogey free round of 65 to take the lead late in the day.
Lightning forced players from the course for almost two hours during the afternoon, but the second round was completed on schedule with Brady ahead by one over the man who was in or near the lead for much of last week’s event on the Murray River.
The seemingly ever-present Nathan Barbieri is another shot back in 3rd place, while LPGA Tour player Stephanie Kyriacou is on her own in 4th place and three shots from the lead in the mixed gender event.
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Billy Dowling and Jazy Roberts claim Australian Amateur titles
Gold Coast’s Billy Dowling has threatened for some time to break through for a significant win, whether it be in professional or amateur events, but today he took out the most coveted title in Australian amateur golf by winning the Australian Amateur Championship at the West Australian Golf Club in the northern suburbs of Perth.
British-born but now a resident and Australian citizen on the Gold Coast, Dowling has recorded seven top tens in PGA Tour of Australasia events in the last two years, including a runner-up finish at the Queensland PGA Championship last November.
Dowling represented Australia at the recent Eisenhower Trophy and the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship and under the guidance of RACV Royal Pines based coach, Nancy Harvey, he has accumulated an impressive record in the amateur ranks
Today Dowling, a member of both the Brisbane and RACV Royal Pines Golf Clubs, began the final round of the now 72 hole stroke-play event tied in the lead with Canberra’s Harry Whitelock, the pair one shot clear of a congested leaderboard with ten players within four shots of the lead.
Dowling would, however, put together a final round of 63 to take the title by five shots over New South Wales golfers, Joshua Fuller and Kayun Mudadana, never providing an opportunity for those chasing to place any pressure.
Dowling recorded 25 birdies and an eagle during his 72-hole romp.
In the Women’s event, Victorian Jazy Roberts began the final round with a four-shot lead and, like Dowling, was always in control in her 11-birdie final round of 63 which saw her win by six shots over Japan’s Anna Iwanaga.
Roberts becomes just the third Australian to win the title in the last ten years.
Scores
The New Zealand Open – 54 years of special memories
Sir Bob Charles and I – a walk and talk chat for TV as he plays his supposedly last NZ Open in 2004
With the 2026 New Zealand Open fast approaching, my involvement in a commentary role again rekindles some lovely memories of an event which I first attended in 1971 as an 18-year-old, beginning a long association, in various capacities, with one of the world’s oldest national golf Open Championships.
Having caddied in 13, commentated in 17, and attended another five in my capacity as a golf journalist, I have enjoyed many special moments in New Zealand’s golfing flagship, and, in this article, I reflect on some of the moments which have stood out to me over the years.
My first involvement at a New Zealand Open was in 1971 at the Otago Golf Club in Dunedin. It was the first of two significant golf events in Dunedin that year, as, the following week, the second Otago Charity Classic was played at the St Clair Golf Club on the other side of the city.
I caddied for John Lister in both events, but the greatest memory of that week was Peter Thomson winning his 9th and final New Zealand Open title. Thomson is the most prolific winner of New Zealand Open titles, followed by Kel Nagle’s 7. While I cannot recall much about Thomson’s performance that week, it is nice to know that my first exposure to the event was such a milestone in New Zealand golf.
In 1973, my good friend Michael Glading and I were travelling together on the New Zealand circuit, Michael caddying for Bob Charles and myself for John Lister.
The win by Bob Charles in the event at the Manawatu Golf Club in Palmerston North that year was a great thrill for us boys who were having fun on the road, and given it was the first occasion Michael had caddied for the winner of any event, let alone the New Zealand Open, it was a great thrill for the son of a two-time New Zealand Open winner (Bob)
It was Charles’ fourth and final New Zealand Open victory, but his impact on the event and New Zealand golf generally continues to this day.
I was never able to add to my collection of caddy wins at the New Zealand Open but, in 1979, John Lister decided to give the New Zealand Open at the St Clair Golf Club a miss due to an ongoing battle with New Zealand Open tournament organisers so I grabbed the bag of Simon Owen who I had caddied for several years earlier in Europe, including when he defeated Peter Oosterhuis in a playoff to win the German Open in 1974.
Simon led into the final round and was still ahead as he played the short par 4 6th hole, but a clubbing mistake on both our parts saw his approach soar over the green, leading to a double bogey and an eventual three-shot loss to Australian Stewart Ginn. It was a gutting mistake, and although Simon had won the event at Heretaunga Golf Club in 1976, it was the one that got away for me.
1983 was my last involvement as a caddy at the New Zealand Open, that event won by Ian Baker-Finch, but it would be the last time I partnered with the prolific winner of events in New Zealand, John Lister.
I attended the New Zealand Open at Russley Golf Club in Christchurch in 1985 as a spectator, witnessing the second of two wins by the fabulous American golfer Corey Pavin who had also won the previous year at Paraparaumu, but it would be another 11 years before I got the chance to again walk the fairways of a New Zealand Open and this time it was in the role as the on course commentator for TVNZ’s coverage of the event won by Australian Peter O’Malley.
By then, I was living in Australia, but the opportunity came to be involved in the coverage, and I jumped at it. Interestingly, it was the second of two New Zealand Opens played in 1995, Lucas Parsons winning the one held earlier in the year.
A special moment for me was doing a ‘walk and talk’ with O’Malley as he played the final hole at the Grange Golf Club in Auckland, such was his significant lead as he strolled to victory. He won by three over American Scott Hoch, but O’Malley possessed such a laid-back attitude that he was not bothered by the request from the pesky on-course commentator.
In 1998, I was again involved as the on-course commentator at the Formosa Golf Club near Beachlands in Auckland and witnessed one of the most emotional speeches I have ever seen when Matthew Lane struggled through his acceptance speech after an impressive three-shot victory over Australian Rod Pampling, who had the services of Steve Williams on his bag, just a few months before Williams joined forces with Tiger Woods.
It was an emotional but very special moment for Lane and those who witnessed such a gutsy win by a golfer who had struggled for most of his career to play at the level his most significant win showed he was capable of doing.
Two years later, I was again asked to be part of the commentary team, this time at Paraparaumu Beach, when Michael Campbell defeated his fellow New Zealander Craig Perks in a playoff to win his own national open.
Most golfers will tell you that to win their own national open is second only to winning a major, and for Campbell to have done so in front of friends and family so close to his hometown of Titahi Bay made the achievement even more memorable.
It would be Campbell’s only win in the event, although he did finish runner-up in three of the next six years.
Dunedin’s Mahal Pearce became the last New Zealander to win the New Zealand Open for the next 14 years when he was successful at the Middlemore Golf Club in Auckland (now Royal Auckland) in 2003, and it was again yet another thrill in my role as the on-course commentator to see a New Zealander win again.
In 2004, the New Zealand Open at the Grange in Auckland was to have been the last appearance of Sir Bob Charles in the event. He had organised two of his companions from the PGA Tour Champions (Dave Stockton and Jay Sigel) to play the event as part of a swansong to New Zealand’s greatest golfing ambassador.
On the Friday it was becoming clear that Charles would miss the cut and I alerted the producer that as things were getting close to 6.00 pm, and aware of the obsession by commercial networks to take the 6.00 PM News ahead of anything, that we should try and get a chat with Sir Bob as he played what was to be his final hole in an event that in many ways symbolised his contribution to NZ sport as he would not be around for the weekend.
Sir Bob and I walked from his tee shot to the final green, and, after I had asked him the first question, he outlined his thoughts on the occasion. It was to me a very special moment, although three years on, (see later) he would again play the New Zealand Open following his steadfast support of the event and its move to The Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown.
30 years earlier than the 2004 New Zealand Open, I had caddied for Sir Bob when winning the 1974 Swiss Open. The chance to chat with him on air as he made what was to be his final NZ Open appearance was, therefore, very special to me. Three years later, he produced a stunning performance at the 2007 version.
The New Zealand Open was sanctioned with the European Tour over the next three years, two of those at Gulf Harbour in Auckland and in 2006, Australian Nathan Green put together a stunning final round of 67 in some of the most demanding playing conditions to win by two after starting nearly three hours ahead of the final group.
I was, by then, commentating for the European Tour and joined the legendary Renton Laidlaw to broadcast what is known as the world feed, which was an alternate to the local commentary. Having gotten to know Nathan through some work I was doing for his website, I located him after his round and asked if he could join us for 15 minutes in the commentary box as we watched those behind him on the golf course battle the increasingly difficult conditions.
Nathan stayed for around 45 minutes, and despite having been initially heading for the airport, so far off the lead was he when his round finished, it became apparent that he might be involved in a playoff or, even better, a win. He did win by two over a group of six players, including Michael Campbell.
In late 2007, the New Zealand Open moved south to the Hills Golf Club near Arrowtown, where perhaps one of the greatest feats in the history of the event was produced when Sir Bob Charles, at the age of 71, became the oldest player to make the cut on any recognised tour, surpassing the legendary Sam Snead in doing so.
Charles twice broke his age that week, but his contribution to the event was not only his deeds on the golf course, as his advocacy had played a significant role in bringing the event to the Wakatipu Basin and establishing the base for what was to come several years later.
The New Zealand Open left the Arrowtown area for Christchurch after three years, but would return in 2014 when the event adopted its current pro-am format, which has played such a great role in its growth into one of the flagship events on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
Since 2014, there have been several notable editions, including in 2017 when Mike Hendry became the first New Zealander since Mahal Pearce’s win in 2003 to take the title after a playoff with Ben Campbell and Brad Kennedy.
Undoubtedly, the feel-good moment, however, would come in 2025 when West Australian Ryan Peake overcame a chequered history, which had included five years in jail, to win his first PGA Tour of Australasia event.
In doing so, Peake leapt into the top three of the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and, as a consequence, would end the 2024/2025 season with one of the sought-after DP World Tour cards for the 2026 DP World Tour, and a start at the 2025 Open Championship, which came with the victory.
In that event, Peake got to play with one of his childhood heroes, and fellow left-hander, Phil Mickelson, in the opening two rounds at Royal Portrush, further highlighting the benefits his win at Millbrook Resort had yielded.
Despite the significance of the day and a congested leaderboard, Peake remained stoic as he navigated the final round, helped and calmed to a large degree by his newly recruited caddy for the week, Matthew Fitzsimons, constantly keeping a lid on things.
Peake’s reaction to a holed ten-footer at the last for par and the one-shot victory, however, told the story of just what it meant to him. While his victory speech might not have been as emotional as that of Matthew Lane’s 27 years earlier, it was clear just what a life-changing day it had been.
Just what this year’s New Zealand Open might bring is for the future, but there is little doubting that the event has produced some of the more dramatic moments in not only New Zealand golf but New Zealand sport, and I feel blessed to have been a witness to so many of them.
Keeping an eye on the action at the 2023 New Zealand Open
Daniel Hillier projected to make top 100 breakthrough
Daniel Hillier – file image courtesy of PhotosportNZ / NZ Open
New Zealand golfer Daniel Hillier’s outstanding run of form in DP World Tour events continued overnight when the 27-year-old finished in a share of 4th place at the DP World Tour’s Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Hiller finished in a share of 4th place with Spaniard Sergio Garcia, just one shot behind the playoff between the eventual winner, Freddy Schott of Germany, American Patrick Reed, and Scotland’s Calum Hill.
It was Hillier’s 4th top-five in his last seven DP World Tour starts, three of which came in the Middle East, further highlighting his remarkable consistency.
Hillier produced a best of the day, bogey-free, final round of 66 to spring from six shots off the 54-hole pace held by Hill to so nearly join the playoff.
Hillier moves to 5th in the Road to Dubai rankings and, for the first time in his career, is likely to be inside the top 100 in the world when the revised rankings appear later today. Currently 111th in the world, Hillier’s previous best was 110th so his new standing represents a significant milestone for the Wellingtonian.
He is projected to now be just inside the top 100.
Perth’s Jason Scrivener was the leading Australian when he finished in a share of 16th, his best finish in nearly six months, while new DP World recruit, Anthony Quayle, was 31st.
Footnote – the revised rankings now have Daniel at 101st and just outside the top 100, but a career best to date all the same.
Leaderboard
Perth’s Haydn Barron takes first Australasian Tour title
Haydn Barron – finally the breakthrough – image PGA of Australia
Despite a shaky start when leading into the final round of the Webex Player Series Murray River event at Cobram Barooga’s Old Course on the Murray River, soon to be 30 year old Haydn Barron has today broken through for a first PGA Tour of Australasia title.
Baron led by one through 54 holes, but bogeys at his second and third holes on day four had him in a three-way share of the lead with New Zealand’s Jimmy Zheng and NSW’s Declan O’Donovan.
By the turn, it was Baron and Zheng that had edged clear, although Barron would take the outright lead with a birdie at the 10th to lead by one.
Playing three groups ahead, Zheng, who last year was the leading qualifier at the PGA Tour of Australasia Tour School after a collegiate career at Duke University in the US, drew level with Barron with a birdie at the 15th before Barron again took the lead when he birdied the 13th.
Things would remain that way, Barron holding on with a series of pars to win by one over Zheng with Victoria’s James Marchesani and O’Donovan finishing in a share of 3rd two shots further back.
Barron, who has previously finished runner-up on three occasions in PGA Tour of Australasia events, will move to 5th place in the 2025/2026 Australasian Tour Order of Merit although, perhaps surprisingly given what is at stake with final Order of Merit positions, he will take the next two weeks back in his home state of Perth before heading for the events in New Zealand.
Welshwoman, Lydia Hall, who just a couple of weeks ago won the Vic Open, finished as the leading woman following her best of the day final round of 64 to finish in a share of 6th.
Leaderboard