Recent Hong Kong Open winner, Queenstown pro golfer Ben Campbell, headlines a stellar 20-man field for this weekend’s The Hills Invitational Pro-Am.
Following his ground-breaking win in Hong Kong last month, where he edged out Major winner Cameron Smith, of Australia, Campbell missed qualifying for a LIV Golf place after missing the top-20 playoffs by one shot.
This weekend he’ll line up at Sir Michael Hill’s private golf course alongside fellow Kiwis, defending champion Nick Voke and Kerry Mountcastle, who’s fresh off a win at the Gippsland Super 6, part of the Australasian Tour, in Victoria.
Also in the field is former New Zealand Open winner Michael Hendry, who announced in May he was taking indefinite leave from the game after being diagnosed with leukaemia.
Four months later, he returned to the professional competition, winning the Taranaki Open at the end of October, part of the Charles Tour.
He also played in the Cello Invitational PGA Pro-Am at Millbrook Resort and Jack’s Point earlier this week.
Former winners at The Hills Invitational, Dongwoo Kang, Jordan Zunic and Harry Bateman will also be teeing off this weekend, as will multiple Charles Tour winner Josh Geary.
Each of the 20 pros will be joined by three Hills members in four-man teams for the two-round tournament — the pros will again be competing for a $50,000 prize pool.
Drama galore at Cello Invitational
Kiwi Kieran Muir won the 2023 Cello Invitational golf tourney in Queenstown on Monday, dramatically draining a 15-foot par putt to beat fellow New Zealander Matt McLean on the second playoff hole at Jack’s Point.
After a solid five-under-67 and 41 stableford points at Millbrook Resort on Sunday, the Bay of Plenty pro endured winds gusting above 60kmh to card a final round of one-over-73 for 35 stableford points.
McLean, who shot 69 on Sunday for 39 stableford points, matched Muir in the clubhouse following an incredible one-under-71 for 37 stableford points — one of two under-par rounds on the challenging course.
The pair went back to the par-4 18th to decide the winner — McLean needed to drain a par putt of more than 20 feet to stay alive; slotting it, the pair went back down the 18th again.
Muir split the fairway, while McLean’s tee shot found the deep rough, resulting in a lost ball and a trip back to the tee.
After finding the fairway, he dumped his fourth in the water, meaning Muir just needed to make a bogey or better to secure at least one stableford point to win the event.
He found the greenside trap, splashed his ball out to 15 feet and rolled in the putt for victory.
Muir, 36, is hoping the win will open ‘‘a few extra doors for next year’’.
‘‘I need to do some maths and see where I finished up on the Order of Merit, but it’s a big result, nonetheless.’’
Jordan Loof and Regan Burke won the teams event, combining for 89 stablefords to finish ahead of Michael Hendry and Peter Talyancich and Brad Shilton and Luke Longney.
