Organisers of the New Zealand Open have had to make the frustrating call to cancel the premier golf tournament due to New Zealand's Covid restrictions.
Tournament chairman, John Hart, announced on Tuesday afternoon organisers have reluctantly come to that decision due to the continued border entry restrictions for international players, coupled with the prohibitive restrictions operating under the current Red traffic light setting.
Hart said it was the unfortunate landscape event organisers found themselves in currently.
“We have done everything within our power to make this event happen," he said.
"However, with the current government restrictions in place, running an event that includes 250 players, 250 caddies, 500 volunteers, nearly 100 tournament staff and officials, plus numerous contractors, as well of course spectators, is just not possible."
Organisers announced in December the tournament was set to make a glorious comeback after the event was cancelled last year, with direct entry into the British Open being a big drawcard for the event.
Hart said there were many "devastated" they could no longer hold the event.
“We know how important this tournament is for the Queenstown Lakes region, tourism in New Zealand, and in particular for golf in New Zealand.
"We would like to thank our tournament partners and sponsors and in particular our underwriter Millbrook Resort for their unwavering support throughout the difficulties of the past few months.
“We remain fully committed to the tournament and the Queenstown region and we are now setting our sights on holding the 102nd New Zealand Open in 2023."
Golf NZ CEO Dean Murphy added they were now looking at other ways to assist golfers in New Zealand.
“This cancellation only adds to the extremely difficult past two years that many of the leading New Zealand professionals and leading elite amateur players have had," Murphy said.
"Opportunities have been severely limited, and we will be doing all we can in the immediate term to see if we can add a small event for domestic players, within the current restrictions, during the week that was set aside for the New Zealand Open."
The 102nd New Zealand Open will now be played 2nd to 5th March 2023 at Millbrook Resort and will include a full field of players from the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Asian Tour and the Japanese Tour.
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