Hollywood star for NZ PGA at Arrowtown

Hollywood star Don Cheadle is teed up to play golf alongside Australasian sporting stars and celebrities at The Hills, near Arrowtown.

Hills general manager Ian Douglas, of Arrowtown, said the Academy Award-nominated star, who featured in Hotel Rwanda, Ocean's Eleven and The Guard, will play in the New Zealand PGA Pro-Am Championship at the private golf course owned by entrepreneur Sir Michael Hill, which runs from March 29 to April 1.

"It's very exciting for us to have someone like him around and it will set the tone for the rest of the tournament," Douglas said.

"It's raising the profile of the tournament and brings that touch of class to the whole thing."

The actor and his family were likely to stay in one of Queenstown's luxury hotels as a guest of PGA Pro-Am, Douglas said.

Cheadle's passion for golf drew him to New Zealand, tournament director Michael Glading said in a statement.

"Don is an avid and a very good golfer. He plays off a 10 handicap and is a regular player in the major celebrity pro-am tournaments.

"He just loves to travel and discover new courses."

Cheadle found out about the event from his coach, New Zealand professional Paul Parlane, who is based at the Mountain Gate Country Club in Los Angeles where the actor plays, Glading said.

"Initially, Paul had been working with Phil Tataurangi to line up some US-based pros, but he spoke to Don about the tournament and Don was keen to come and play."

Cheadle will also be joined by sporting, media and business notables, including British Open winner Sir Bob Charles, world women's amateur No 1 Lydia Ko, former All Blacks Justin Marshall, Andy Hayden and Jeff Wilson, former Wallabies captain Nick Farr-Jones, Black Caps opener Mark Richardson, netballer Julie Coney, media personality Murray Deaker, former All Black coach and chairman of the organising committee John Hart and Sir Michael Hill.

Up to 132 professionals will tee off on the Thursday, with the top 60 plus ties making the cut on the Friday and progressing through to the weekend to play for the championship.

A field of 64 amateurs, consisting of friends, sponsors and celebrities will play a seeding tournament on Friday, March 30 at Jacks Point, near Queenstown.

On the Friday night, at a cocktail function, each amateur will be teamed up with a professional and pairs will play as a two-ball, best-ball team on the Saturday and Sunday for the championship, with $50,000 of prize money going to the professional in the winning pair.