Gulf Harbour Country Club is adding to its rich history of hosting prominent golf events by hosting the 2023 New Zealand PGA Championship.

The tournament is an ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia co-sanctioned event with the PGA of New Zealand and will take place the week after the 102nd New Zealand Open from Thursday 9 March to Sunday 12 March. The tournament creates a three-week stretch of premier tournament golf, with the Renaissance Brewing New Zealand Stroke Play to be played the weekend after.

Gulf Harbour Country Club is no stranger to hosting world-class golf events, being the venue for the 1998 World Cup of Golf, the 2005 and 2006 New Zealand Open, and more recently, a Jennian Homes Charles Tour event in 2021.

Gulf Harbour was designed for championship golf. Some significant names have won around the Robert Trent Jones Jr layout, including Nick Faldo, David Carter, Nicholas Fasth, and Nathan Green. Ryan Fox won the last four-round championship event hosted by Gulf Harbour, finishing 23-under-par and breaking the course record with a 10-under 62 in the final round.

The New Zealand PGA Championship boasts a $165,000 prize purse which is sure to attract some of Australasia’s leading players.

Phil Ellison, Chairman of the PGA of New Zealand says, “We are delighted to have the New Zealand PGA Championship back on the calendar. To have it back on the PGA Tour of Australasia is a huge bonus as we work alongside Golf New Zealand to grow the tournament back to a high level again. We also look forward to hosting many of the players who will play the New Zealand Open the week before."

“Our thanks also to Gulf Harbour, a venue synonymous with top quality tournament golf, and one which showcases the Whangaparaoa Peninsular at its best, and we appreciate them taking on this event at short notice.”

The last time the event was co-sanctioned with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia was 2019 when Kazuma Kobori won as a 17-year-old amateur at Pegasus Golf and Sports Club.

Tae Koh won the last New Zealand PGA Championship at Te Puke in 2021.