Handa Senior Masters Tournament

Harwood Wins Handa NZ Senior Masters

21 Feb 2010

Michael Harwood of Victoria, Australia, took out the inaugural Handa New Zealand Senior Masters held at Millbrook over the last three days in somewhat emphatic style with a 70 final round and a ten under par total score of 206.

Harwood really won the event with his second round 66, and when he played through the first nine on the last day in three under par 33 the event was his to lose. He gave the chasers a glimmer of hope when he bogeyed 11 and 12, but a birdie on the par five 15th locked it up.

Another Melbournian in Michael Clayton finished strong with a 69 to take out second place on a six under par total of 210. He also made a couple of bogeys coming home but offset these with five birdies.

Queenslander Wayne Grady was third alone a shot further back after a final round 72, three birdies offset by three bogeys.

Simon Owen was the leading New Zealander tied fourth with Noel Ratcliffe. Sir Bob Charles finished in 12th equal placing after a final round of 74.

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Harwood Takes Control at Millbrook

20 Feb 2010

Mike Harwood from NSW set a new course record of 66 in the second round of the Handa NZ Senior Masters at Millbrook today with a six under par round of 66.

He birdied the 5th and 7th holes to go out in 34, then parred his way back until he reached the par five 15th, from where he proceeded to birdie the last four holes to be back in 32. Together with his first round 70 his two round total of 136 is three shots clear of fellow Aussie Wayne Grady and Kiwi Simon Owen.

Grady birdied the 3rd and 7th holes, and made pars on the rest for his 70 and a total of five under 139.

Owen had four birdies and a bogey in his 69 to also be on 139 total.

The remarkable Sir Bob Charles was again under his age with a round of 70 to move up through the field after his first day 77.

$50,000 increase to major golf tournament purse at Millbrook

02 February 2010

New Zealand's newest and richest Senior Golf Tournament on the challenging new Millbrook golf course has just got richer.

The prize purse and charity donation for the Handa New Zealand Tournament, being held from 19-21 February, has increased to a record breaking NZ$200,000 - up $50,000 on the original prize money on offer.

Tournament sponsor and patron Dr Haruhisa Handa is a generous philanthropist and has decided that 10% of the prize money fund should be directed towards helping others. Hence, a $10,000 donation will be made to both the International Blind Golf Association and New Zealand Junior Golf out of the total purse of $200,000.

Prize purses are now NZ$100,000 for the Handa NZ Senior Masters, $70,000 for the Harry Handa Handicap, and NZ$10,000 for the Handa NZ Senior Masters Pro-Am, a team event.

The increased prize purse was initially announced on Sunday (31 January) to a select group of tourism and golf heavyweights gathered to watch New Zealand Prime Minister John Key officially open the new Coronet Nine course.

Mr Handa’s Director of International Golf, Wayne Smith, said once Mr Handa heard how excited Millbrook was to host the event and the initial positive response to the Harry Handa Handicap concept, he felt it important to make that purse a more significant amount.

As a philanthropist, Mr Handa believed that by increasing the total purse he could contribute more to charity so has decided to support both the International Blind Golf Association and New Zealand Junior Golf.

Major golf coup at Millbrook

12 January 2009

The Handa New Zealand Senior Masters at Millbrook will take place from 19-21 February 2010 with a record breaking NZ$150,000 total prize money on offer.

The event is a welcome addition to the Southern Senior Golf Swing that brings Australia and New Zealand's best senior golfers to the New Zealand mainland.

The tournament will complement the grand opening of the newly structured Millbrook Golf Course set to be launched in January 2010.

"We are thrilled to showcase the new Coronet Nine," said Director of Sales and Marketing Kim Carpenter. "We believe that that this new addition along with our recently added covered driving range, walking paths and the renovated Village Inn and Villas will help reinforce Millbrook's reputation as one of the leading resort destinations in Australasia.

"With the recent additions and improvements at Millbrook and new courses in and around the Wakatipu, Queenstown now can rightfully claim to be a golf destination that is exciting, varied and spectacular," he said.

The tournament will not only attract some of New Zealand and Australia's top senior professional golfers, but will give local amateurs a chance to match their game against the best with a unique Dunhill Links-style format to the tournament.

Amateur golfers will have a unique opportunity to play side by side with a skilled and experienced golf professional in an exciting 36-hole golf tournament, a format similar to the famous Dunhill Links at St Andrews in Scotland.

"Having played in a number of Dunhill Links events, I can vouch for the success of the format," said Coronet Nine designer Greg Turner. "I think this event at Millbrook has the potential to be the most sought after participant golf event in the country."

Millbrook's Membership Services Manager Brian Spicer said Millbrook was excited to offer amateurs the opportunity to play with some of the legends of the game in Australasia.

"The unique format and Millbrook's outstanding facilities and service will truly make a memorable experience."

PGA National Events Manager Jim Clelland said the PGA of New Zealand welcomed Millbrook to the Legends Tour.

"This new event looks likely to become the flagship tournament of the eight to be played in New Zealand in 2010. We are pleased to be involved in bringing a quality field of well-known professionals to a golf course of such renown. What a wonderful opportunity for the amateurs who enter the event."

Tournament sponsor and patron International Sports Promotion Society's (ISPS) Chairman, Dr Haruhisa Handa, is delighted to be involved in the newest Senior Men's tournament in the Australasian region and is looking forward to enjoying Millbrook Golf Club in the beautiful environment of the Wakatipu.

Dr Haruhisa Handa is a successful Japanese businessman, an academic, an accomplished artist and philanthropist, who believes that golf is the ideal forum to bring together people of all ages, abilities and cultures globally.

ISPS and Millbrook Golf Club are the driving forces behind the continuing growth of Senior Men's golf in the region with the addition of New Zealand's richest Senior Golf tournament.

ISPS's sponsorship of the Handa NZ Senior Masters at Millbrook will also complement Mr Handa's ongoing passion for Blind Golf, with funds being donated to New Zealand and Australian Blind Golf charities.

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