Queenslander Daniel Nisbet is confident his game is on track to do justice to his status as defending champion for the 100th New Zealand Open in Queenstown starting on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of PhotoSportNZ

The Australian is one of 12 former champions to contest the New Zealand Open which is co-sanctioned with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour played across both The Hills and Millbrook Resort.

The 28-year-old, who stormed to a tournament record 27-under par to win last year, comes off a victory at the Coca-Cola Queensland PGA Championship last week. He feels the victory has him in a good place with his game.

“It is nice when the form comes in at the right time. I played pretty well over the summer. I just had to tweak a few things and I think we have made the right choices and changes with my game to hopefully be in contention again this year,” said Nisbet.

The Queenslander said the win opened up opportunities for him, although a lack of consistency at the end of the year cost him further honours on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.

“There is so much to play for – the European Tour access, there’s different tournaments you can qualify for like WGC and Dunhill Links and others, all these events that come off the back of finishing high on the moneylist. That is about being consistent throughout the year.”

He is excited about coming back to Queenstown and the New Zealand Open, where the final two rounds will be at The Hills this year after Millbrook Resort hosted last year.

“It is a pretty amazing place flying into Queenstown. The scenery here is second to none. Whether defending or not, it is such an amazing feeling coming back to these courses and this area. The two courses are absolutely world class and coming back in is a great feeling.

“Obviously we played Millbrook more last year so I have a bit more experience there but I also played well at The Hills and I like this course.

“They both have very different aspects where you need to be stronger. Around Millbrook you need to be stronger off the tees and around The Hills you need to be stronger around the greens.

“I just hope I can be in contention at the end of the week.”

You wouldn’t ever want to compare a US Open winner with a Saturday hacker, but it will be a nervous Michael Campbell who lines up in his first competitive round in six years on the opening day of the 100th New Zealand Open in Queenstown on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of PhotoSportNZ

Campbell, who headed Tiger Woods by two shots at Pinehurst in 2005 to secure a place in golfing history, is coming out of a self-imposed retirement as he targets the Seniors Tour, and will be sure to pull a curious gallery at The Hills and Millbrook Resort this week.

“I’m pretty nervous, I must say. It’s the first time I’ve had a scorecard in my back pocket for six years. It’s going to be pretty interesting on the first tee, but from the very beginning I’ve got no expectations – I’m here to celebrate a wonderful 100 years of the New Zealand Open, that’s a pretty cool thing and I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Campbell said.

“I’m here to support the New Zealand Open, I’m here to grow the game in New Zealand and for me, personally, turning 50, it’s my senior tour this year so what a great way to start than with the New Zealand Open.”

It is a decade since Campbell last played in his national open, having won the tournament in 2000.

His preparation for the senior ranks has included blending science with his natural game for an ‘evolved’ Michael Campbell.

“I’ve been really into the whole science of it now. Before I was more of a feel player, now I’ve combined the science with my feel and obviously the technology these days is out of this world.”

Campbell has 14 starts guaranteed on the Champions Tour, exemption into all the majors on the senior tour, as well as the European Tour and European Seniors Tour.

“I’m not here to play 30 events a year, I did that for years. I want to play 15 events, do well, win a couple of tournaments, say thank you and then move on for next year. I’ve done the grind, I’ve done the hard work, I’m not 25 years old, I’m 50, so I want to just enjoy life,” he said.

“I feel that if I keep fit and my body is healthy, I feel I can actually do well out there again. It’s amazing how things can come back quickly.”

Still, Campbell is an anxious as anyone to see how he will go when he tees it up at The Hills at 12.38pm.

“I want to do well, of course, but I don’t know what to expect. We had many discussions about the senior tour and I still move the same as 20 years ago, but it’s more a mental thing for me now,” he said.

“It’s healthy to get nervous on the first tee. I’ll be nervous on the first tee, no question.”

Generous with his time for media ahead of the 100^th New Zealand Open, Campbell, one of the most respected opinions in New Zealand golf share his thoughts on a range of topics including…

Campbell On Ryan Fox:

“I think Marcus Wheelhouse has done a great job of his technique, and maybe it needs a little bit more tightening. Confidence-wise he’s out there with the best players in the world and when you get to play with the best players in the world, like he has on the European Tour and America you get to see how these guys perform and you learn off them, like I did when I was playing with Tiger and Mickelson and those guys.”

On the future:

“I’ve been fortunate enough to get 14 starts on the Champions Tour. I start after Augusta, I’m not playing Augusta. I’m exempt on all the majors on the senior tour and also I’ve got a full card on the European tour so I’ve got a choice of lots of tournaments to play inI feel that if I keep fit and my body is healthy, I feel I can actually do well out there again. It’s amazing how things can come back quickly.”

On wanting to win again:

“My kids were too young to understand the importance when I won a tournament, but now they understand fully.”

One look into the jetlagged eyes of Ryan Fox is testament that winning the 100th NZ Open would be a very special milestone in his career.

Photo courtesy of PhotoSportNZ

The highest ranked New Zealander in the world has travelled halfway round the globe to be in Queenstown this week, backing up from last week’s WGC – Mexico Championship to tee it up at The Hills and Millbrook.

“This would be right up there. A major would be bigger for a career, but to win an NZ Open is something that I would want to have on my resume at the end of my golfing career. The 100th one would be a pretty nice one to win as well,” he said.

“I was always coming back for this, it was probably a tougher decision to go last week but considering where I was on the world rankings, it was worth the gamble to potentially get into Augusta.”

Michael Hendry set something of a precedent in 2017 when he returned from the same event in Mexico and became the first Kiwi player to win the NZ Open in 14 years.

Fox, who claimed his maiden European Tour victory at the tri-sanctioned ISPS HANDA World Super 6 in Perth two weeks ago, has started the past few NZ Opens as the local favourite, and this week is no different.

“I guess winning a couple of weeks ago probably didn’t help all the expectations in that regard, but it’s always going to be the same,” he said.

“The Kiwis always want a Kiwi to win and I’ve been lucky enough to be the highest ranked one the last couple of times and not quite lived up to those expectations, so hopefully I can do a little bit better this year.

“I don’t necessarily feel any extra pressure, obviously there’s going to be a few more people out watching, but I enjoy playing in front of decent sized crowds and I’m more used to it than I was three or four years ago.”

With the likes of Tim Wilkinson, Steve Alker and a rebooted Michael Campbell in the field, Fox rates the chance of a New Zealand winner for the second time in three years.

“It’s probably the strongest contingent of New Zealanders we’ve had in a while, which is cool, and hopefully that translates into one of us lifting the trophy on Sunday night.”

Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy may be enjoying a gap year, but he believes he has a chance to be in contention for the 100^th New Zealand Open in Queenstown starting on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of PhotoSportNZ

The Australian is playing for just the second time in the New Zealand Open which is co-sanctioned with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour and in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour, and staged at The Hills and Millbrook Resort.

Ogilvy, with Michael Campbell and YE Yang, one of a record three former major winners taking part, has headed to Queenstown for the first time as he takes a “gap year” from the sport.

After two decades based in the US, Ogilvy has moved back to Melbourne with his family, and without the rigours of a fulltime gig on the PGA Tour, he has taken the opportunity to play in some bucket-list events.

“This is my first time to Queenstown. Everyone who comes back from this event says it is the prettiest place in the world. It has always been on the list and I am super excited to be here,” said Ogilvy, who has recorded mixed results recently.

“A lot of the issue is not enough scorecard-tournament rounds in the last six months. I am hitting it well. At the Vic Open I had some moments where I played okay, but at Perth it was awful. I practiced last week and played a bit and it feels good.

“My ball-striking feels great and if I can make a few putts, if I can get a feeling and get into the tournament and get into contention, I think it will all come back. There’s no reason why I can’t play well.”

Ogilvy said he is enjoying taking time out of life as a fulltime golfer, although he has far from fallen out of love with the sport.

“I am happy being dad at the moment and doing the school run and playing a bit of golf and not being in a hotel. I will always be a golfer. I love golf now more than I ever have but it is about balancing it all out.

“I would like to get into contention this week. Apart from the pure love of playing golf, professional golf for me is fun, when you are in contention and feeling it, especially those last nine holes coming down the stretch on Sunday.

“The true enjoyment to me is when I had a chance. Success for me is to get into contention and see how I go.”

Ogilvy, who is also spending time in his golf course development company and as assistant to Ernie Els for the International team for the Presidents Cup, said it was a special occasion to be playing in the 100^th New Zealand Open.

“The 100^th is amazing – there are not many that have gone that long. One hundred New Zealand Opens is a pretty stout golf history. And the field that is assembled including the amateur field is special – everyone recognises the significance of this week.

“Being part of the 100^th New Zealand Open is great. Winning it would be even better.”

There are 12 former New Zealand Open champions competing while a further three, including four-time winner Sir Bob Charles, will take part in a special par-3 event at The Hills on Wednesday.

There are 152 professionals and 152 amateurs taking teeing it up in the first two rounds played at both The Hills and Millbrook Resort before a cut to the top-60 players plus ties to compete in the final 36 holes at The Hills.

Ryan Fox was destined to be a professional athlete. It was just a case of which sport. This episode shows how Ryan benefited and was literally hurt by being the son of New Zealand’s World Cup winning rugby union legend Grant Fox. Ryan reveals how the hits he took saw him turning to other sports and how, for a while, he looked as if he might follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, former New Zealand test cricketer Merv Wallace.

Late by modern standards, Ryan Fox turned to golf. He admits how early in his professional career he thought he was done with the game. But how with the help of his father, he turned it around and is now flourishing.

With the Irish Open this week, Ryan talks of the one that got away twelve months ago. But we begin at the start of 2019 with four weeks that proved momentous in so many ways. His first European Tour win and marriage to Annike.

Having turned 50 at the weekend, Michael Campbell will making his competitive comeback this week at the 100th edition of the New Zealand Open.

And to mark the occasion, Michael has been speaking to commentator Richard Kaufman in his The Round Golf Podcast.

Michael takes us on the journey of his roller coaster career. Stories of his Maori upbringing, fortune-telling grandmother and being too embarrassed to admit to his peers that he played golf. His emergence on the world stage at the 1995 Open at St Andrews and wanting to quit within a few years. His rise up again and the incredible circumstances that culminated in his major championship victory at the US Open at Pinehurst, seeing off Tiger Woods.

He reminisces about his incredible homecoming and being in the celebrity spotlight. How he coped with his game’s subsequent decline, retirement and now, a return to golf.

Given the way I played, I thought the first New Zealand Open I ever played in would be my last.

Growing up, most of my sporting heroes were cricketers. Richard Hadlee was my hero because I was a medium-quick bowler who swung it around a little bit. Obviously I wasn’t quite as good as him but he was my hero when I was really young and then there were guys like Martin Crowe, Stephen Fleming and Shane Bond.

There were no golf heroes as such until Tiger came along in my late teens. Tiger was my first sporting hero when it came to golf.

I only started playing golf because my cricket mates were playing golf in the winter at Pupuke Golf Club on the north shore of Auckland.

It’s not a great golf course by any stretch of the imagination but because it’s quite hilly you have to shape your shots – hit big cuts and big hooks – and it’s produced really good players such as Lydia Ko, Richard Lee and Josh Carmichael.

My love for golf grew and grew and when my cricket started stalling I decided to play more golf. It got to the point where I had to make a choice and I felt that I had more momentum with my golf than I did cricket.

It just so happened that I qualified for my first New Zealand Open in 2006 at around the time I was having to make that decision.

I went through local qualifying at Manukau Golf Club – which actually doesn’t exist anymore – and got through.

I missed the cut at Gulf Harbour by a mile. I played like an absolute dog but I loved the atmosphere and the feel of being out there as one of the guys inside the ropes and I thought to myself then that this was what I wanted to do.

All the planets seemed to align and it pushed me in one direction and I’ve probably made a better fist of golf than I ever would have at cricket.

There’s a cricket game on Monday afternoon actually that I was really keen to play in but I’ve got a fair idea what would happen if I did. My shoulder might not be able to swing a golf club on Thursday if the red mist descended and the run-up kept getting longer and longer.

A place in history

You’re always aware of your national Open as a kid. When you’re on the putting green if it’s not a putt to win The Masters it’s a putt to win the New Zealand Open.

It’s definitely at the forefront of your mind and to be perfectly honest, after that first performance I don’t know that I ever thought I’d be able to win one.

When I look at how poorly I played that week, the fact that I’ve now won one, had a top-three finish and a few top-10s, I’ve got a pretty good record after that first horror performance.

I was totally not ready in terms of my level of golf at that point. Cricket was my No.1 sport until I was about 23 and then I played a year’s worth of relatively high-level amateur golf in New Zealand before I decided to go to Aussie Q-School.

I managed to get a card so I turned professional and was playing local pro-ams but I hadn’t played any real tournament golf.

I was Joe Hack back then so it took a lot of hard work. I didn’t start playing some really decent golf for a few years after that.

Winning the New Zealand Open two years ago is definitely the high point of my career to date.

I’ve won in Japan and had a lot of really good finishes up there. I’m pretty proud of what I’ve been able to achieve in my career considering my background but if I was to single out one tournament it would be the New Zealand Open.

The golfing fraternity in New Zealand is pretty small so I had a lot of friends there in Queenstown which was cool. My wife Tara and my little girl being there on the 18th green was a really special moment as well.

A lot of people don’t realise the sacrifice that goes into being a professional sportsperson and a lot of those sacrifices aren’t made by us, they are made by those closest to us.

It was extra special to be able to share that with them.

You do feel like you’ve joined a special club when as a Kiwi you win the New Zealand Open.

I feel like my game is starting to pick up and that I’m trending in the right direction and while anything can happen, I was talking with my caddy, Jordan, about how cool it would be to win a second one.

There wouldn’t be too many people to have won two New Zealand Opens and two New Zealand PGA Championships and to be able to put my name amongst legends such as Sir Bob Charles and Kel Nagle would be pretty awesome.

It would be pretty cool to win another one and put my name up a bit further in the history of New Zealand golfers.

To do it in the 100th New Zealand Open would be something extra special.

With just a week to go until the 100^th New Zealand Open tees off in Queenstown, Nick Voke, one of this country’s most exciting young golfers, has confirmed his start in the tournament.

The 24-year-old will play in the NZD$1.3m event from 28 February to 3 March at Millbrook Resort and The Hills, an event co-sanctioned with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour and in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour.

The Aucklander climbed to #240 in the world rankings in his first year as a professional, finishing in a share of seventh place at the 2018 New Zealand Open. He made a late start to the burgeoning PGA Tour China and incredibly claimed three wins and a share of fourth place in the final five events to finish third overall on their Order of Merit.

His rapid early success gained him status on to the Web.Com Tour for 2019.

Before turning professional, Voke carved out an outstanding amateur career including five college victories and the 2017 NCAA Regionals title with Iowa State University. He was also a standout for New Zealand including a T10 finish at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship staged at Royal Wellington Golf Club.

Voke has recently returned from his Web.Com Tour debut in the unfamiliar surrounds of Colombia: “It was a big jump in the deep end and there were lots of things to sort out in a foreign country. I’m a big fan of continuous improvement and development. It’s harder to learn when you’re lifting trophies and much easier when adversity slaps that lesson right across your face,” he says.

New Zealand Open Tournament Director Michael Glading says they are thrilled to have Voke in the field.

“This is naturally a very special New Zealand Open, especially when you have the likes of Sir Bob Charles, Michael Campbell and many others in our midst who have been such an integral part of the fabric of our game,” he says.

“At the same time, it is important to look ahead at the next generation of players in this country who will take the game forward. Nick Voke is a very exciting prospect in this regard, both as an accomplished amateur and one who has made a spectacular start to his professional career.

“He likes these courses as he showed last year. He has the potential to put some real pressure on other competitors this year. He’s definitely one to watch.”

New Zealand rookie Nick Voke has taken just five tournaments on the PGA Tour-China schedule to secure a full Web.com Tour card for 2019 after recording his third tournament win at the Clearwater Bay Open on Sunday.

Entering the final tournament of the year fifth on the Order of Merit, Voke needed at worst to hold his position to earn one of the five Web.com Tour cards on offer. But a blistering opening round of 5-under 65 at the spectacular Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club put the field on notice and he closed out a wire-to-wire win with a 3-under 67 for a three-stroke win from Englishman Callum Tarren.

“It’s been a really awesome run of golf and I’m really excited to see what I do in the next couple of years. This win means a hell of a lot, to be honest with you,” said Voke.

“The first couple of victories I managed to come from behind, so to come out here with a five-shot lead and know that everyone is chasing me, it’s a different sort of victory. I’m very proud of how I handled myself and how I went out and played today. It’s absolutely the greatest pro week I’ve had so far.”

An Auckland native, Voke completed his college schooling at Iowa State University last year and turned professional early in the New Year, his astonishing run of form culminating in a card that puts him within reach of the lucrative PGA Tour.

Despite a disappointing 74 in the third round, Deyen Lawson completed an excellent week with a 2-under 68 that saw him finish as the best of the Australians in a tie for fourth, seven shots ahead of Andrew Schonewille and Kiwi pair Luke Toomey and Campbell Rawson who were tied for 25th at even par for 72 holes.

Max McCardle and DJ Loypur closed out their seasons in China in a tie for 32nd with Corey Hale and James Gibbelini one and two shots further back respectively.

Defending champion James Marchesani had a final round of 73 as he finished tied for 39th with Sam Earl, Kevin Yuan and Jack Munro the other three Aussies to qualify for the weekend.

New Zealand’s Nick Voke eagled hole 17 on his way to a closing 5-under-66 and a two-stroke win at the RMB 1.5 million Macau Championship, becoming the PGA TOUR Series-China’s first back-to-back winner since China’s Zecheng “Marty” Dou achieved the feat in 2016.

Playing in the penultimate group, the 23-year-old Voke picked up four shots in the last six holes at Caesars Golf Club to finish 15-under and secure the RMB 270,000 winner’s check, vaulting to third on the Order of Merit with RMB 602,000.

Voke tied for fourth in his Tour debut at the Suzhou Open in early September and won the Qinhuangdao Championship the following week, before finishing third at an Asian Tour event in Korea. He then practised in Thailand for a week before coming to Macau, where he continued his remarkable recent run.

The Kiwi started the final day three shots behind co-leaders Joseph Winslow and Todd Baek, and shot three birdies and two pars on the front nine, before moving up the gears on the closing holes with birdies on 13 and 15, and a stunning eagle on 17.

“It was a big day out there. On the front nine, I didn’t quite have it. I was hitting some below-average approach shots. Fortunately, I hit it really close on No. 9 and made the turn at one-under, and I really wanted to get some momentum on the back nine,” said Voke, who was tied for the lead before his eagle gave him a two-stroke buffer.

“I hit a good drive on 17 and had 241 yards left to the flag. I only wanted to hit it about 230 yards, then slightly pulled it and it managed to finish 29 feet from the flag, so walking up there I knew a two-putt would be huge. I just hit a good putt with good speed, and it managed to find its way to the bottom of the hole.”

The methodical Voke, who is 17th on this year’s ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, credits his current form to improving both his driving and putting from 5-15 feet, and his strategic approach paid off in Macau.

“I know what I need to do to play well. I know if I play this golf course 100 times, my scoring will be at its best if I play it a certain way, so I stuck to my strategy. I think I got a few lucky breaks and you need that to win, so it was good,” said Voke, who celebrated with compatriot Luke Toomey on the 18th green.

“I made a really good birdie on the 15th hole and then on the 17th fairway, I thought a birdie would put me in a tie for the lead and I managed to roll in a putt for eagle. I thought I was one ahead going into the last and then just secured a really solid par, so I’m over the moon.”

From the 2018 PGA TOUR Series-China Order of Merit, the top-five will earn status on next year’s Web.com Tour, top-10 players are exempt to the Final Stage of the Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament and any player ranked 11-25 is exempt to the Second Qualifying Stage.