John Hart: New Zealand Golf Open Chairman discusses the event, what it took to bring it together

The 105th New Zealand Golf Open has teed off at Millbrook.

It’s a unique Pro-Am event, where 156 professionals compete alongside amateur partners, and is the only Open tournament in the world to be played in this format.

Australian Ryan Peake won the title in 2025, and has returned to defend it in 2026.

Chairman John Hart told Kerre Woodham the Pro-Am format is the reason the tournament is so successful, and that if it were solely professionals, they’d struggle to hold the funding.

He says it’s established itself as one of the leading Pro-Am tournaments in the world, and has gotten fantastic recognition from tours they work with and professional players.

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