American Heath Slocum to play in NZ

American Heath Slocum will be one of the the most decorated entrants contesting the for the New Zealand PGA Championship in March.

The 43-year-old has been confirmed for the event at the Manawatu Golf Club from March 2-5 as well as the New Zealand Open at Millbrook Resort from March 9-12.

Slocum has four wins on the PGA Tour to his name – Classic of Tucson (2004), Southern Farm Bureau Classic (2005), The Barclays (2009) and the Mcgladrey Classic (2010) – and qualified for the first six Fed Ex Cup playoffs in a row.

He has not been a regular on the PGA Tour since 2015, but has played two events in the 2016/17 season so far.

He peaked in world rankings at 52 in 2010 and is 89th on the PGA career earnings list with $15,904,202 (NZ$22 million).

PGA New Zealand general manager Dominic Sainsbury believed having the experienced Slocum in the field would be a positive boost for some of the younger players

‘‘He is fit and healthy and someone who has really looked after himself so he is a role model for everybody out there,’’ he said.

Manawatu Golf Club general manager Michael Williams said it was a dream to secure a player of Slocum’s quality for the NZ PGA Championship.

‘‘We are stoked,’’ he said. ‘‘He has played on the PGA Tour this year so he is still very much a current player and not past it.’’

‘‘To be a multiple champion on the PGA Tour is pretty outstanding. He won The Barclays in 2009 which is part of the Fed Ex Cup playoff series and Tiger Woods was second in that.’’

Slocum has battled ulcerative colitis (a bowel disease) for much of his career and is the national spokesperson for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.

Sainsbury said Slocum had expressed interest in travelling to New Zealand for the NZ Open and they were quick to snap him up for the NZ PGA Championship as well. ’’He is really getting back into the swing of things now,’’ he said.

‘‘He is wanting to broaden his worldly golfing repertoire. Golf is a universal language and can take you anywhere.

‘‘He has heard great things about the New Zealand Open tournament and all the splenders and wonders of what New Zealand has to offer.’’

It is not the first time for Slocum competing in a Australasian PGA Tour event.

He played the Fiji International in 2016 finishing tied for 53rd.

Slocum is the second experienced name to be invited to the NZ PGA Championship following former New Zealand Open winner Grant Waite.