Million dollar Hole in One competition announced for ISPS Handa NZ Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch

Gwladys Nocera, who won the Zealand Women’s Open in 2009, will have the chance to win $1,000,000 NZD as a hole in one prize

One million dollars will be up for grabs at the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch.

The tournament which will be staged from January 31 to February 2 at the Clearwater Golf Club, and see the return of World No.4 Lydia Ko as she looks to defend her title, will also include a Hole in One competition for a huge payday.

Four of the five previous champions of the event – Lindsey Wright (Australia), Kristie Smith (Australia), Laura Davies (England) and Gwladys Nocera (France) – will have a chance to win one million dollars in the hole in one competition.  

The leading player in the championship after 36 holes (if she is not one of the four past champions already confirmed) will also be invited to compete in the Hole in One Competition.

The shootout will be staged on the 18th hole at the Clearwater Golf Club on Saturday February 1 at the completion of round two of the championship.

The former NZ Open champions, and round two leader, will hit one golf ball each to the 18th green from a distance of 165m.

In the event of the professional golfer achieving a hole in one, the player will receive $1,000,000 NZD (20 year annuity prize).

Bob Tuohy, the Chairman and Managing Director of TA Golf, was sure that the Hole in One competition would be a great attraction for the National Open.

“It is going to be an awesome spectacle, seeing four of the five former champions of the NZ Women’s Open playing with the chance to win a million dollars,” said Tuohy

“The ISPS Handa New Zealand Women’s Open is already a very special event and something like this just adds to the attraction of the championship.

“The people of Christchurch have been great supporters of the event in the past five years and we expect that to continue in 2014 with the unprecedented success of Lydia Ko.

“This will be a great way for the golfing public to engage with the players and have some fun with a competition ahead of the final round on Sunday. We look forward to seeing a great crowd at Clearwater as four of the NZ Women’s Open Champions try to come up with that one magic shot for one million dollars.”

The ISPS Handa NZ Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch is an important event as it holds the largest purse for a woman’s sporting event in this country.

The 2014 event will be the only chance for local golf fans to see Ko playing in a tournament in New Zealand this year.