The Hills Cure Kids Open raised more than $90,000 by the close of play on Saturday and competitors are already keen for a third tournament next year.
A total of 62 high-end golfers, up from 46 last year, from as far north as Auckland and as far south as Winton, entered the two-day tournament on the exclusive course owned by Sir Michael Hill near Arrowtown. Golfers paid $1350 to play and all proceeds will go to Cure Kids for medical research into life-threatening illnesses.
Fundraising and business development director Josie Spillane, of Cromwell, said participants enjoyed the Open so much they were eager to return, "so that's fantastic for us".
"It's a little overwhelming. These are leaders of some of New Zealand's biggest businesses and they're taking the time for the Open, which shows the esteem they hold The Hills and the credibility of Cure Kids."
Golfers had about five hours of stableford play on both Friday and Saturday, with about 15 prizes for individuals and teams.
Briscoe Group managing director Rod Duke, of Auckland, won the Open and was awarded merchandise from the Golf Warehouse and free entry into next year's event.
Dr Julia Horsfield from the University of Otago's new Zebrafish Facility addressed golfers after brunch on Saturday. The facility's research was supported by Cure Kids.
Dr Horsfield explained how the small tropical fish from the River Ganges have virtually all the genes which cause cancer and develop mental disease in humans.
While human maldevelopment could not be identified because it happened in the womb, "we can see zebrafish embryos develop before our eyes," she said.
"We can infer back from what we see in the fish to what must be happening in humans and use diagnostic tools to see if we were right."
Cure Kids ambassador Alex McKay (20), with ambassador and twin sister Lizzie McKay, both of Auckland, told the golfers they were born and diagnosed with cystic fibrosis in 1991.
Their parents were told they would have a life expectancy of 16 years.
Despite multiple hospital stays, especially over the past year, Mr McKay said they did not let the condition dictate them.
"Cure Kids has been a ray of sunshine in our lives," he said.
