$5m plan to give Ko Open LPGA tag
NZ Golf bid for LPGA to sanction NZ Women’s Open. Marc HInton reports.
Lydia Ko could be defending her NZ Open title in an LPGAsanctioned tournament, with the national golf body close to completing a $5 million-plus deal.
It would be the first time an event sanctioned by the LPGA Tour had been held in this country and would attract many of the world’s leading golfers.
Sources have indicated major cash injections from Ateed (Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development) and Major Events NZ are being lined up to provide the bulk of the funding to transform the Open into a legitimate international event in Auckland.
It’s understood that about $5.5 million may be needed from the organisations to underwrite the cost of the event and enable it to be sanctioned by the LPGA.
The proposed windows are in either February or October when the tour has an Asian swing that could take in a New Zealand stop, and Ko’s presence is considered very much the driving force behind the potential upgrade.
The LPGA sanction is the vital part of the plan. Though it comes at a massive cost, understood to be five times what it is for a European (LET) partnership, it would bring the quality of field and global media attention that is needed.
The last NZ Open, which Ko won for the third time, was held at Christchurch’s Clearwater Golf Club but was not televised and attracted few of the world’s leading that both golfers. It was the final year of the contract to hold the event there.
NZ Golf chief executive Dean Murphy said he hoped to be able to make an announcement soon.
‘‘We’re looking at options for future New Zealand Opens, and an arrangement with the LPGA as well as the LET is certainly among them,’’ he said.‘‘The LPGA is the biggest tour in the world and we are exploring all our options.’’
And if NZG had the financial backing, they are confident the LPGA would come to the party.
Ko could find out as soon as July whether she has a flagship home Open to take part in. Given what she’s achieving in the sport, it’s the least she deserves.
Meanwhile, two double-bogeys helped send New Zealand’s Danny Lee sliding down the leaderboard at the latest PGA Tour event in the United States.
The 25-year-old Kiwi slumped to a three-over par 75 in his second round at the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio yesterday to hit the halfway point at three-under par, in a tie for 53rd.
That leaves him nine shots behind American co-leaders Brendan Steele and Matt Kuchar heading into the weekend.
Lee’s topsy-turvy second effort followed his standout opening round of 66 that left him in a tie for third just two shots off the early pace set by American Dustin Johnson.