New Zealand Golf has just suffered yet another major blow dealt by the ongoing global health crisis. New Zealand Golf Open organising committee chairperson John Hart on Thursday morning declared the upcoming February 2021 edition of the event officially cancelled.
What would have been the 102nd edition of the New Zealand Open played in February next year, an event each year competed at Millbrook Resort and The Hills just outside of top tourist destination Queenstown, has now been pushed out to February 2022. And it’s a postponement that has caused nothing but disappointment for the committee, said Hart at the time of the announcement.
But though extremely disappointing a decision, explained the chairman, the organisation saw no other alternative but to cancel the event at this stage of the proceedings. Uncertainty created by the closing of borders, travel restrictions, and the financial risks associated with the possibility of a last-minute cancellation, explained Hart, was the number one contributor leading to the difficult decision.
Aside from the disappointment from an organisational point of view, the cancellation is obviously a major blow for the local tourism industry. Up to 300 international participants are usually seen making their way to Queensland from overseas every year – including professional golfers, amateur players, support staff, caddies, tour officials from the PGA Tour of Australasia, the Japan Golf Tour, and the Asian Tour, and many others. But, said Hart, though the organisation feels particularly disappointed on behalf of the Queenstown region, the decision remains necessary and unavoidable.
And certainly one not made lightly or easily.
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