It’s likely to be the last Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia start for the season for the former Order of Merit champion before he resumes his second campaign as a full-time member of the DP World Tour.

With top-10s already this season at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and Dubai Desert Classic, he sits in a healthy 22nd place on the Race to Dubai standings.

This week’s event, co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and with an influx of Japan Tour regulars, is his first for 2025 on his home Tour.

“Firstly it’s in Queenstown and it’s probably one of the best places in the world and I just like the golf course,” Micheluzzi said when asked why he’d locked in another trip to the South Island.

“It suits the schedule really well. We don’t really get much off time on the DP World Tour, so this is kind of my off time at the moment and it’s only three hours from home. It just fits well.

“I was playing here no matter what, but when I saw that the winner gets a place in the Open Championship it’s obviously like ‘alright, let’s get into it’.

“The course is always immaculate and I’ve got few of my mates staying with me this week, my girlfriend is here as well and it’s just going to be a fun week I reckon.”

The NZ Open is Micheluzzi’s first tournament since a missed cut at the Qatar Masters at the start of the month but he’s feeling like he’s game is in better shape following some time at home in Melbourne.

Nine holes of practice today on the Coronet course, one of two in operation for the first 36 holes, has added to his confident feeling for the week to come.  

“I haven’t played fantastic over the last few weeks, struggling with ball striking a little bit, but it seems to have turned a corner a little bit,” the Victorian said.

“My putting’s really good at the moment. I feel like I’ve got just a good feel. Just everything with my putting just seems really nice at the moment.

“If I give myself a lot of chances, say tee to green, if I’m good, tee to green this week, I’m feeling really comfortable.”

With fine, calm conditions predicted for Millbrook for most of the week, Micheluzzi is tipping a score in the mid-20s under-par will be needed to be in the hunt late on Sunday.