The New Zealand Open Golf Championship: A Complete Guide

The New Zealand Open is the country’s national golf championship and the biggest professional tournament played on New Zealand soil. Staged each southern-hemisphere summer at Millbrook Resort near Queenstown, it blends a 72-hole professional stroke-play event with a unique Pro-Am competition in which amateurs play alongside the professionals under full tournament conditions. This guide explains what the championship is, how its format works, the history and trophies behind it, how players qualify for The Open, and how spectators can attend. For the full results of the most recent edition, see the dedicated 2026 New Zealand Open results guide.

What Is the New Zealand Open?

The New Zealand Open is the national open golf championship of New Zealand, first contested in 1907 and now one of the headline events in the region’s professional calendar. “Open” means the field is open to both professionals and amateurs who meet the entry criteria, rather than being restricted to members of a single tour. The 2026 tournament was the 105th edition of the championship.

When and where it is played

The modern New Zealand Open is held in late February or early March, at the tail of the New Zealand summer. The 2026 edition ran from 26 February to 1 March. Since 2024 the sole host has been Millbrook Resort near Arrowtown, in the Queenstown Lakes district of Central Otago. Queenstown is often described as a home of New Zealand golf, and the alpine setting beneath The Remarkables mountain range is a large part of the event’s identity.

Which tours sanction it

The championship is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia, which is why the field draws players from across New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the wider Asia-Pacific region. Co-sanctioning means two tours jointly recognise the event, so results count toward both tours’ rankings and money lists. The 2026 edition marked the seventh year the Asian Tour had jointly sanctioned the tournament alongside the PGA Tour of Australasia.

How the Pro-Am Format Works

What sets the New Zealand Open apart is that amateurs do not play a warm-up day and then step aside — they compete inside the championship itself. Up to 156 professionals and 156 amateurs take part, with each amateur paired to a professional for the opening rounds. Two competitions run at the same time: the professional championship and the New Zealand Pro-Am Championship.

The professional championship

The professional event is a standard 72-hole stroke-play competition, meaning every shot across four rounds is counted and the lowest total wins. The individual professional score is what decides the champion and the New Zealand Open title, independently of the Pro-Am team result.

The Pro-Am team championship

For the first two rounds, each amateur plays with their professional partner in a two-person best-ball team. In best-ball (also called fourball), both players play their own ball on every hole and the better of the two scores counts as the team score. These team scores decide the separate New Zealand Pro-Am Championship, which is a major draw for business figures, sports personalities and keen club golfers.

The cuts explained

A “cut” reduces the field partway through the event so only the leading players continue. The New Zealand Open uses more than one cut:

• After round two: roughly the top 60 professionals and ties advance to the weekend; the leading 40 Pro-Am teams also progress.
• After round three: a further cut leaves the top 10 Pro-Am teams to contest the final round.
• Professional finish: the surviving professionals play all 72 holes, with the lowest aggregate score taking the title.

Because leading teams carry on, the best-performing amateurs can play three or four rounds rather than only two — a rare chance to compete deep into a professional tournament. If you are new to following scoreboards, our guide to reading a golf leaderboard explains positions, ties and the cut line.

The Courses at Millbrook Resort

Millbrook Resort has grown to 36 holes, and the New Zealand Open uses two distinct 18-hole layouts: the Remarkables and the Coronet. For the first two days the field is split across both courses, with each pairing playing one course on day one and the other on day two before the weekend is played at Millbrook.

The Remarkables and Coronet layouts

The two courses ask different questions of a player:

• Remarkables 18: designed with input from New Zealand golf legend Sir Bob Charles, it features generous fairways offset by well-placed bunkers and large, contoured greens.
• Coronet 18: a Greg Turner and Scott Macpherson design with a more alpine character, calling for precise approach shots around schist rock outcrops and water.

Playing conditions and the Queenstown weather

Late-summer Queenstown can deliver strong sun one hour and a sharp alpine shower the next, and the afternoon breeze that funnels through the valley is a defining factor. Players prepare for wind by flighting the ball lower and choosing clubs that hold their line, because an exposed hole can play very differently from morning to afternoon. Comfortable layers and sun protection are sensible for anyone walking the course.

History and the Trophies

The New Zealand Open dates back to 1907, when amateur Arthur Duncan won the inaugural title at Napier Golf Club, beating fellow amateur J. Carne Bidwell by seven shots in a 36-hole contest. Duncan went on to win again in 1910 and 1911. Over the following century the championship has been won by some of the biggest names in the game, including Australia’s Peter Thomson, a five-time Open champion who holds the New Zealand Open record with nine titles.

The Brodie Breeze Challenge Cup and other trophies

Twelve editions were played before the championship gained its main trophy. In 1923, Glasgow club maker George Brodie Breeze offered a silver cup valued at 50 guineas, and the Brodie Breeze Challenge Cup has been awarded to the champion ever since. It sits alongside other historic prizes associated with the event, giving the tournament a lineage that few in the southern hemisphere can match.

Famous moments

The most widely remembered edition came in 2002 at Paraparaumu Beach, when world number one Tiger Woods played the championship. Woods finished well back in a share of sixth as Australia’s Craig Parry won by five shots. New Zealand’s own Michael Campbell, who would go on to win the 2005 U.S. Open, had earlier taken the national title in a 2000 playoff at the same links. You can read more about Paraparaumu and the capital region’s courses in our guide to golf around Wellington, and general event background is also catalogued on Wikipedia.

The Pathway to The Open Championship

The New Zealand Open is part of the Open Qualifying Series, the global set of events that each award places in The Open Championship. The leading professional who is not already exempt earns a spot in that year’s Open — in 2026 the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale. This turns the closing holes into a tournament within a tournament: even players out of contention for the title can be fighting for one of golf’s most prized invitations. Winners also collect Official World Golf Ranking points, which help lower-ranked players move toward bigger events. For context on how the men’s professional game is structured, see our explainer on LIV Golf and the established tours.

Who Won the 2026 New Zealand Open?

New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier won the 2026 New Zealand Open, the 105th edition, closing with a final-round 67 for a 22-under total of 262 to beat Australia’s Lucas Herbert by two shots. It made Hillier, a Wellington golfer and DP World Tour player, the first New Zealander to win the national Open in nearly a decade, and it earned him an exemption into The Open. The previous champion, Australia’s Ryan Peake, had won the 2025 edition. For the complete leaderboard, prize-money breakdown and course detail, see the full 2026 New Zealand Open results guide.

How to Follow the New Zealand Open

If you cannot be at Millbrook, the championship is straightforward to follow from home. In New Zealand the tournament is broadcast live on Sky Sport, with coverage across all four rounds, and the action is distributed internationally through the sanctioning tours’ broadcast partners in Asia, Australia and beyond. Live scoring is published on the official tournament website during play, so you can track the professional leaderboard and the Pro-Am team standings in real time.

What to watch for during the weekend

The decisive stretch is usually Sunday afternoon at Millbrook, where the leaders finish on the composite layout. Three storylines tend to run at once: the fight for the title and the Brodie Breeze Cup, the race for the Open Qualifying place among players not already exempt, and the final round of the top 10 Pro-Am teams. Keeping an eye on all three is part of what makes the closing holes unusually busy for a national open.

How to Attend as a Spectator

Attending the New Zealand Open is relaxed compared with many major sports events. The course is walkable, spectators can follow groups close to the ropes, and the tournament village at Millbrook adds food stalls, Central Otago wine, equipment displays and a big screen. Because Queenstown fills up during tournament week, visitors travelling from Auckland or overseas should plan early.

Tickets, transport and what to bring

• Tickets: daily and weekend passes are sold online ahead of the event and, subject to availability, at the gate; weekend play tends to be busiest.
• Transport: shuttle services run from Queenstown and Arrowtown, and using them is recommended because on-site parking is very limited.
• Accommodation: book Queenstown or Arrowtown lodging months in advance, as capacity is tight during tournament week.
• On the day: wear comfortable walking shoes for the hilly terrain, bring sun protection and pack a layer for cooler evenings.

Common Mistakes Visitors Make

A few avoidable errors can take the shine off a first visit to the championship:

• Leaving accommodation too late: Queenstown books out in peak summer, and tournament week is one of the busiest periods of the year.
• Driving to the course: parking is restricted, so the shuttles are usually faster and less stressful than arriving by car.
• Underestimating the weather: conditions can swing from hot sun to cold wind within a round, so dressing in removable layers matters.
• Confusing the two competitions: the professional title and the Pro-Am team result are decided separately, so the player leading your group may not be the one leading the championship.
• Expecting the amateurs to disappear after two rounds: leading Pro-Am teams play on, so strong amateurs can feature well into the weekend.

Economic and Tourism Impact

The New Zealand Open is positioned as more than a sporting fixture; it is used to showcase Queenstown and Central Otago as a premium golf and tourism destination. The event draws domestic and international visitors who fill accommodation and support local hospitality, and the Pro-Am format deliberately brings business figures from across the Asia-Pacific into the region. Millbrook Resort also promotes sustainable turf and resource management around the tournament, reflecting the pressure of hosting a large event in a sensitive alpine landscape. If you are planning a wider golf trip, our overview of golf in New Zealand covers courses, conditions and how to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When is the New Zealand Open held?

The championship is played in late February or early March. The 2026 edition ran from 26 February to 1 March at Millbrook Resort, with the event typically following a Thursday-to-Sunday schedule.

Where is the New Zealand Open played?

It is hosted at Millbrook Resort near Arrowtown, close to Queenstown, using the resort’s two 18-hole courses, the Remarkables and the Coronet.

Can amateurs play in the New Zealand Open?

Yes. Up to 156 amateurs are paired with professionals and compete in the New Zealand Pro-Am Championship, which runs alongside the professional stroke-play event. Amateur places are generally secured through packages or invitations rather than open entry.

How much prize money does the New Zealand Open offer?

The total professional purse is NZ$2 million, with the winner receiving roughly NZ$360,000. The Pro-Am team competition has its own separate prizes.

Does winning the New Zealand Open qualify a player for The Open?

Yes. As part of the Open Qualifying Series, the leading professional not already exempt earns a place in that year’s Open Championship, in addition to Official World Golf Ranking points.