BMW Group announced as naming rights sponsor for the 2015 BMW New Zealand Open.
The world’s most unique National Open has joined forces with a global golf brand – BMW Group has been announced today as the naming rights sponsor for the 2015 BMW New Zealand Open.
At a launch in Auckland, attended by the Prime Minister the Right Honourable John Key, the Chairman of the New Zealand Open Organising Committee Mr. John Hart confirmed BMW Group as the naming rights sponsor for the flagship golf event in New Zealand.
The BMW New Zealand Open, a tier one event on the PGA Tour of Australasia, will be held from March 12 to 15 at The Hills and Millbrook Resort in Queenstown.
Hart said: “BMW Group’s commitment to international golf is globally renowned and highly successful, and we are delighted to have such a magnificent global brand as a long term partner.”
With almost 30 years of supporting golf events around the world, the BMW New Zealand Open will run alongside events such as the BMW Championship, the BMW PGA Championship, the BMW International Open and the BMW Golf Cup.
The announcement is a natural extension of BMW Group’s support of golf in New Zealand and we’re thrilled to be recognised as naming rights sponsor of the 2015 BMW New Zealand Open, said Nina Englert, the Managing Director of BMW Group New Zealand.
Hart believed that securing BMW Group as the naming rights sponsor makes a statement of support for the unique format of the reinvigorated Queenstown-based tournament.
The BMW New Zealand Open is the most unique National Open in the world, being played in a Pro-Am format across two magnificent courses,” he said.
BMW Group is a huge supporter of major golf events around the world and we’re delighted that they have added the BMW New Zealand Open to their impressive list of events.
It was also announced that the tournament prize money will increase to a new level of NZD$1 million, solidifying the championship as one of the pre-eminent golf tournaments in the Asia-Pacific region.
Minister for Economic Development, Hon. Steven Joyce, today confirmed that the Major Events Development Fund will invest $700,000 per annum in the BMW New Zealand Open in 2015 and 2016. Government will also make a one off investment of up to $250,000 per year towards television production and distribution. This will be matched by Michael Hill Tournaments Limited, the event promoter, to ensure a live broadcast to a world-wide audience and to support wider commercial objectives.
The tournament will be broadcast live in New Zealand by Sky Television and also in Japan to eight million homes through the Japan Golf Network. Additional international broadcast partners are still to be confirmed but will include distribution throughout Australia and around the world with an expected reach of 200 million households.
Hart said the addition of live television would provide Kiwi golf fans with extensive coverage of one of New Zealand’s oldest sporting events (the BMW New Zealand Open dates back to 1907).
New Zealand technology company Animation Research Limited will lead the television production of the event and is regarded as one of the most innovative companies internationally in this sector.
The Kiwi company, owned by Ian Taylor, is involved in golfing events around the world including the Ryder Cup, the PGA Championship, the Open Championship and all the events on the European Tour.
We look forward to incorporating our technology into a broadcast that will showcase the golf tournament, celebrity golfers on show, and also the incredible vistas of Queenstown, said Taylor.
The BMW New Zealand Open, in addition to being sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia, will continue its strong partnership with the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) for 2015. A total of 15 spaces will once again be reserved for leading JGTO professionals.
We look forward to welcoming a quality field of professional golfers to play for one of the biggest prize purses ever seen in New Zealand, said Hart.
We very much appreciate the continued support the tournament has received from the Government, locally from the Queenstown Lakes District Council, and from New Zealand Golf. The introduction of live television has taken the event to a new level with increased investment and support from sponsors both here in New Zealand and offshore.
We welcome back and thank our existing family of sponsors Hilton Queenstown, Michael Hill, Milford Track Guided Walks and Rebel Sport. We also pay special tribute to Sir Michael Hill, with his ongoing personal commitment and underwrite support which has been fundamental to the event reaching this stage of its development.”
Hart said that the BMW New Zealand Open Organising Committee would make further announcements on additional sponsors and suppliers in the coming weeks.
Tickets to the 2015 BMW New Zealand Open go on sale today via Ticketek.
Picture captions:
The Hills golf course, co-host of the 2015 BMW New Zealand Open.
BMW New Zealand Open
The tournament is a sanctioned Tier One event on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
• A professional field of 144 players maximum will play the first two rounds alternately at The Hills and Millbrook Resort before the second round cut of 60 + ties.
• The final two rounds of the championship will be played at The Hills.
• The BMW New Zealand Open Champion will be the leading player after 72 holes of stroke play.
BMW New Zealand Pro-Am Championship
• The BMW New Zealand Pro-Am Championship will run concurrently to the main tournament.
• A maximum of 144 amateurs will partner with a professional and play in a best-ball format.
• After a second round cut the top 40 pro-am teams will progress to round 3 at The Hills, with a further cut to the top 10 Pro-Am teams who progress to play in the final round.
Tickets
www.ticketek.co.nz
New Zealand Open footage:
FTP details
Host: remote.sportsinc.co.nz
Username: nzgolf
Password: _pl,mko0
Shot List on FTP
00:00 – 00:46 General vision of the Hills Golf Club
00:47 – 01:03 General vision of Millbrook Resort
01:04 – 01:16 General vision of celebrities at the New Zealand Open
01:17 – 01:28 General vision of Japanese professionals at the New Zealand Open
01:29 – 01:49 BMW Tournament signage
01:50 – 02:05 International BMW Championship winners
02:06 – 02:58 Past New Zealand Open Champions (in order of appearance; Brad Kennedy, Jake Higginbottom & Dimitrios Papadatos)
Follow developments for the BMW New Zealand Open: www.bmwnzopen.com
Facebook: BMW New Zealand Open
@BMWNZOpen
#BMWNZOpen
For further information please contact:
New Zealand Open
John Hart – Tournament Chairman
john@hart.co.nz
Michael Glading – Tournament Director
mglading@nzgolftournaments.com
Media
Fiona Woodham – Southern PR
0274 313 270 / 03 441 1117
Fiona@southernpr.co.nz
