The Renaissance Brewing New Zealand Stroke Play will see the return of the Jennian Homes Charles Tour after almost a year, 49 weeks or 343 days, to be exact.

The event set to be staged at Christchurch Golf Club will be the first Jennian Homes Charles Tour event since the Autex Muriwai Open last year at the beginning of April. The last four events in 2021 and the first event of 2022 were all cancelled due to Covid-19.

Last year’s event at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club was the first staging of the Renaissance Brewing New Zealand Stroke Play as a Jennian Homes Charles Tour event. This year, Michael Hendry is back to defend his title, as is Vivian Lu with the New Zealand Women’s Amateur Stroke Play, which goes to the leading women’s amateur. Kazuma Kobori won’t be back to defend his New Zealand Men’s Amateur Stroke Play title as he’s competing overseas.

Golf New Zealand General Manager for Championships and Golfer Operations Dave Mangan says it’s been a while in between tee shots, but it’s great to run a Jennian Homes Charles Tour event again finally.

“There’s obviously been a lot of disruption in recent times, and it’s been a bit of a wait to get a Jennian Homes Charles Tour event underway again. We’re happy to be here to stage another successful event and provide elite amateurs and professionals in New Zealand with a competitive four-round event again.

“Christchurch, as always, is presented in pristine condition. It should be a great week which will produce three very worthy winners. We can’t wait to get started.

144 golfers make up the field to play four rounds of stroke play from Thursday to Saturday.

Play will commence from 7.30 on Thursday morning