Disabilities catered for

New Zealand's best players with disabilities will have an opportunity to line up in the inaugural New Zealand All Abilities Open in conjunction with the New Zealand Open.

The 2020 All Abilities Open will be a 54-hole strokeplay event. Eighteen holes will be played at Jack’s Point and The Hills on the second and third days of the 2020 New Zealand Open.

After 36 holes, a cut will be made and the leading six players will join the New Zealand Open field on Sunday and be the first players to tee off in the final round at Millbrook.

To showcase the inclusive nature of golf, the All Abilities Open will be played from the same tees, under the same conditions, and at the same time as the 101st Open. The winner will be handed the trophy at the Open presentation ceremony.

The field will be made up of players with a range of disabilities and impairments, including physical, intellectual and visual, and will involve the top 24 players from New Zealand based on the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) and the top four Australians on the WR4GD, plus four invitations.

The R&A and the United States Golf Association announced the launch of WR4GD in 2019 with events being in more than 20 countries to grow awareness and inclusivity globally.

New Zealand’s first world ranking event at Maraenui Golf Club in Napier this year was won by Guy Harrison (18). The Napier Boys’ High School pupil and prefect is one of the first players to qualify for the event.

New Zealand Golf adopted an inclusion charter in 2018, a commitment to an ongoing journey to develop and foster an inclusive and diverse sport which reflects the communities and society.

 

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