Promising amateur Gary-John Hill is the first confirmed starter in the 2010 New Zealand Open in Arrowtown.
Hill (21) sealed his place in the field at The Hills when he finished the leading amateur on the Charles Tour.
The four-event tour, named after golfing great Sir Bob Charles, finished with the Shirley Open in Christchurch on Monday.
Hill, who was a New Zealand junior representative in 2006, moved from Northland to Auckland and joined the Titirangi club this year.
His best result on the tour was a third at the Wairakei Open, followed by 23rd at the Tauranga Open and 40th at the Shirley Open.
Hill's tally of 1627 points easily beat North Harbour teenager Simon Brownlee (1320) and New Zealand representative Andrew Stewart (1285) for an automatic berth in the New Zealand Open, which runs from January 28-31.
"It's awesome news. This means everything to me," Hill said.
"The New Zealand Open is a dream and a privilege. I've worked hard for it and every since I had a great result at the Wairakei Open, I knew it was a possibility."
Hill also topped the table for leading amateur over the spring series of three Charles Tour events to win the Danny Lee Scholarship, which carries a $1500 grant that the young New Zealand professional has donated to New Zealand Golf.
Hill finished clear of Brownlee, Wellington's Jonny Dittmer and Takaka's Sean Riordan.
"I've not seen Danny [Lee] since I left school, but I hope he comes back to play at the New Zealand Open," Hill said.
"As a player, he has set the standard for all the amateurs in New Zealand and showed us all what's possible.
This is a great scholarship and it will help me pay to get down to the Open."
The rest of the field in the New Zealand Open is again expected to be a mix of American professionals from the Nationwide Tour and many of the leading New Zealand and Australian professionals.
Lee, who missed the cut at The Hills in March, is a doubtful starter.
He is concentrating on the European Tour next year, and there are sanctioned events in Qatar (January 22-25) and Dubai (January 29-February 1) around the time of the New Zealand Open.
