McCall on Show for Southland Supporters

Media release from NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship
March 23 2012

McCall on Show for Southland Supporters

Southlanders are being urged to turn out in force to support Vaughan McCall at the New Zealand PGA Pro-Am Championships in Arrowtown next week.

Both the professional and amateur fields have now been confirmed, with McCall one of only two amateurs invited to play in the professional competition, along with New Zealand number one Ben Campbell.

The 20-year-old from Gore is relishing the opportunity to showcase his talent against some top class professionals so close to his home club. It will give friends and family a great chance to see him in action, with The Hills little more than a two hour drive up the road.

McCall has already proven that he can foot it in professional company. He made his Australasian Tour debut in last year’s New Zealand Open in Christchurch and grasped the opportunity with both hands. After four rounds at Clearwater, he finished a creditable 45th equal.

It is just one of a string of eye-catching performances McCall has produced during his brief career. He was the top amateur at the Shirley Open in October last year, finishing third behind pro golfers Nick Gillespie and Richard Lee and just two months ago he equalled the course record of nine under par 63 in the third round of the Lake Macquarie Men’s International Championship in Australia.

The form suggests it won’t be too many years before the Srixon Academy star decides to turn professional and local fans would be well advised to take this opportunity to watch him play before he heads further afield to ply his trade.

The New Zealand PGA Pro-Am Championship tees off at The Hills on Thursday March 29. Tickets are available from Ticketek.

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Background Information

The Tournament Format: NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship

Up to 132 Professionals will tee up on Thursday March 29 with the top 60 Professionals plus ties making the cut on the Friday March 30 and progressing through to the weekend to play for the NZ PGA Championship.

A field of 62 Amateurs (friends, sponsors, celebrities) will play a seeding tournament on Friday 30th March at Jacks Point.

On the Friday night each Amateur will be placed with a Professional and that pair will play as a two-ball, best-ball team on the Saturday and Sunday for the inaugural NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship. Amateur handicaps will be actual to a maximum of 18.


The Course: The Hills

In its stunning amphitheatre encircled by the Remarkables Mountains, with 180 degree views taking in Coronet Peak and the Crown Range, The Hills has the x-factor as a tournament golf course.

Initially Michael Hill’s own private golf course, it was redesigned by Darby Partners to host the New Zealand Open in 2007. Set over 500 acres of former deer farm land close to Arrowtown, Central Otago, it is home to an incredible array of flora including native brown top grasses and wild native mountain tussocks.

The Hills is proud to have hosted three consecutive New Zealand Open Championships since opening in 2007 and is looking forward to being the new home of the NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship and the NZ PGA Championship.


About the PGA Tour of Australasia

The NZ PGA Pro-Am Championship is sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia, the elite tournament destination for professional golf in Australasia. Encompassing events in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific with a total prize-pool of over AU$7.5 million, all tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia carry Official World Golf Ranking points.

Throughout the course of the season Professionals playing on the PGA Tour of Australasia compete for the title of Order of Merit Champion. Awarded the prestigious Norman Von Nida medal, past Order of Merit winners include Greg Norman, Peter Senior, Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy and most recently Greg Chalmers.

As one of the leading professional golf Tours the world over, the PGA Tour of Australasia is a founding member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The International Federation has taken on the responsibility of generating funds for the worldwide development and expansion of the game and the management of prestigious tournaments including the World Golf Championships.

ENDS

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