Golf: Hill's vision key to Open -Taylor

Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor has made an impassioned plea for the New Zealand Open to stay at a course he rates among the best in the world.

Taylor, the executive producer of Animation Research, which produces graphics for the British Open and the Ryder Cup, among other golf events, is dismayed at speculation the Open is to move from The Hills to Clearwater.

• Tournament loss seen as 'tragedy' 

He does not believe the event will have any marquee value if it leaves Michael Hill's private course in Arrowtown.

"What Michael has done has been absolutely outstanding. The European guys who came out here the first year are still raving about it," Taylor said yesterday.

"The New Zealand Open was sliding into a morass. Michael had a vision to turn it into a really special, boutique event that would start to attract people.

"That was the perfect way to go. To survive, the Open needs someone to look at it in a different way.

"The Open will increasingly lack the kudos and the money to drag in the top golfers unless somebody takes the event by the throat and makes it stand out."

Taylor has urged New Zealand Golf to give Hill more control over the Open rather than let Australian promoter Bob Tuohy take the tournament to Clearwater, near Christchurch, which seems to be the likeliest turn of events.

"Old-school thinkers are the reason tournaments like this slowly fade away.

"There is nothing wrong with Clearwater. But take Michael's vision out, and I think New Zealand Golf will lose the battle.

"If the Open does go to Clearwater, it will be just another golf tournament."

Taylor contacted the Otago Daily Times, emphasising he was doing so of his own accord. He had not spoken to Hill for a long time but wanted to defend the businessman's motives.

Hill had no ego when it came to the Open, and it was unfair of Tuohy to question Hill's ability to run a tournament, Taylor said.

"All Michael wants to do is have some more say in an event that he wants to shake up a bit so it works for this country.

"I can imagine there would have been a clash between someone with a vision and someone who runs very traditional golf tournaments."

Taylor claimed Tuohy was not interested in using Animation Research's technology during the Open. In 2007, Hill paid $30,000 to have the course aerially mapped and photographed. The company worked without pay in 2009, Taylor said. There was no work done on this year's tournament.

Animation Research has just sealed a new deal to cover European golf. Taylor leaves for Scotland this week for the British Open at St Andrews.

• Clarification: The quote attributed to Michael Hill - "I don't want the Open as it was. I can't just bankroll it all along." - in yesterday's Otago Daily Times, appeared originally in the Mountain Scene newspaper.