{"id":5092,"date":"2018-02-11T21:49:00","date_gmt":"2018-02-11T08:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nzopen.com\/weekend-warrior-wins-coveted-pro-am-playing-spot-in-isps-handa-new-zealand-open\/"},"modified":"2018-02-11T21:49:00","modified_gmt":"2018-02-11T08:49:00","slug":"weekend-warrior-wins-coveted-pro-am-playing-spot-in-isps-handa-new-zealand-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nzopen.com\/news-media\/weekend-warrior-wins-coveted-pro-am-playing-spot-in-isps-handa-new-zealand-open\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Weekend Warrior’ wins coveted Pro-Am playing spot in ISPS Handa New Zealand Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The tension and nerves were palpable as some of Otago and Southland\u2019s top local golfers teed off for the chance to win a coveted spot playing \u2018inside the ropes\u2019 at next month\u2019s ISPS Handa New Zealand Open.<\/div>\n
\n

The 22 golfers from 12 clubs played in the Millbrook Challenge yesterday after qualifying through club competitions for the chance to contend for the amateur spot, worth $10,000. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Geordie Gibson of Invercargill\u2019s Green Acres golf club won the Millbrook Challenge at Queenstown\u2019s Millbrook Resort \u2013 credit: photosport.nz<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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Organisers this year increased the number of clubs eligible to vie for the spot, and enabled them to put forward two players, one male, one female (previously only one player from each club could qualify).<\/p>\n

Players came from Kelvin Heights, Arrowtown, Invercargill, Green Acres, Queens Park, Cromwell, Wanaka, Alexandra, Dunstan, Lake Hawea, Winton and Gore clubs, some teeing off at the championship course for the first time.<\/p>\n

Among those was eventual winner Geordie Gibson, 40, from Invercargill\u2019s Green Acres.<\/p>\n

Playing off a 15.1 handicap index, he was the clear winner after three holes but said he \u201ccouldn\u2019t have been more surprised\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never played here before, so I was just looking forward to the experience and trying to keep my nerves under control by drinking lots of water,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

The Australian-born quantity surveyor said he played when he was younger, then took it up again when he moved to Invercargill and set up his business. He usually plays once a week at the weekend.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Tournament Director Michael Glading (L) congratulates Geordie Gibson (R) on winning an amateur spot to play in the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open <\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cIt was a really good decision to give myself the day off today,\u201d he said, beaming. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still too much to take in right now, I\u2019ll have to let it sink in and think about getting in a bit of intense practice on different courses.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the \u2018dream shot\u2019 that probably landed him the win was his second shot onto the 8th green which landed 4ft from the pin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m super excited to be playing in the Open,\u201d he said. And as for which of his golfing heroes he\u2019s like to be playing alongside?<\/p>\n

\u201cAny of them. I can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 99th ISPS Handa New Zealand Open will be played at Millbrook Resort and The Hills golf courses from March 1 to 4 2018. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/article>\n

\n
<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The tension and nerves were palpable as some of Otago and Southland\u2019s top local golfers teed off for the chance to win a coveted spot playing \u2018inside the ropes\u2019 at next month\u2019s ISPS Handa New Zealand Open.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"'Weekend Warrior' wins coveted Pro-Am playing spot in ISPS Handa New Zealand Open | New Zealand Open<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nzopen.com\/news-media\/weekend-warrior-wins-coveted-pro-am-playing-spot-in-isps-handa-new-zealand-open\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"'Weekend Warrior' wins coveted Pro-Am playing spot in ISPS Handa New Zealand Open | New Zealand Open\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The tension and nerves were palpable as some of Otago and Southland\u2019s top local golfers teed off for the chance to win a coveted spot playing \u2018inside the ropes\u2019 at next month\u2019s ISPS Handa New Zealand Open. 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