Harry Bateman, [Pictured] alongside 21 other professionals has qualified for the end-of-year Cello Invitational after two qualifying tournaments were held in Christchurch and Wellington. The Cello Invitational is the highlight of the Pro Am schedule with two days in Queenstown at the Millbrook Resort and Jacks Point a major prize, as well as the largest Pro Am prize purse in Australia and New Zealand.
Harry Bateman overcame tough conditions at a long Royal Wellington as well as a blustery Paraparaumu Beach shooting scores of 39 Points and 41 Points in the Gross Stableford format to be the top qualifier for the Wellington event, while Templeton Professional John Bae shot rounds of 42 Points and 39 Points at Pegasus Golf Club and Clearwater Resort to be the top qualifier at the South Island event one week earlier.
The Cello Series are unique Pro Ams pitting professionals with one amateur as they compete in a 2BBB Pairs competition for the Amateur competition, while the Professionals compete in Gross Stableford. Qualification spots for the final in Queenstown are split by PGA Membership Category, with 8 Tour Spots, 8 Vocational Spots and 6 Trainee Spots allocated over the two qualifying tournaments. The Cello series is unique in combining corporate and professional golf together, with the event itself being fully immersed in the business telecommunication space with the two Qualifying series events being presented by Chorus’ new Hyperfibre product. After the 22 qualifying spots are finalized, the rest of the field will be made up by Invitations from the Organising Committee.
Full List of Qualifiers:
Tour Vocational Trainee
Matt McLean John Bae Hillary O’Connor
Harry Bateman Dominic Barson James Metzger
Charlie Smail Hamish Campbell Dell Bain
Aiden Didone Anthony Sharp Riley King
Mahal Pearce Josh Longney Ethan Jones
Thomas Woods Nick Loach Robson Tarrant
Rhys Thomas James Devlin
Brian Lee Craig Mitchell
North Island Qualifier Full Results
South Island Qualifier Full Results
To learn more about Cello
To learn more about Chorus’ new Hyperfibre Product