Michael Glading: NZ Golf Open CEO on the tournament getting underway at Millbrook

The 104th New Zealand Golf Open is underway at Millbrook. 

Justin Quiban of the Philippines is the initial leader with two birdies from two holes. 

Meanwhile, tournament boss Michael Glading told Mike Hosking that Danny Lee's return from the LIV circuit has been welcome. 

He says he’s come with a really great attitude, and apparently can’t walk anywhere without 30 people saying hello to him. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
New Zealand Open Time team off at Millbrook today, one

(00:02):
hundred and fourth time they've done this. Tournament director Michael
Glading's whether it's Michael morning, day, am. I give me
the weather and track for the four days because she
can be beautiful and she can blow like buggery. What
are we expecting?

Speaker 2 (00:13):
I think it's my thing to just give you two
days because they're never right after two days.

Speaker 3 (00:16):
So the weekends not looking quite so sharp, but the
next two days are just fabulous, which is a great
way for us to get started, especially with such a
big field.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Getting everybody through in good weather is just crucial.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
So indeed, when you say a big field, this pro
amateur mix of yours, would you argue it's working as
a thing.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
It's undoubtedly working as a thing. There's no question it's working.
It's one of the one of the many reasons why
I think we've been able to operate with an eight
million dollar budget. You know, we bring in one hundred
and fifty six amaches alongside one hundred and fifty six pros.
It's a significant amount of money that we generate through
our amateur revenue. So and of course also what we

(00:56):
deliver is fin front and make sure they want to
come back.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
And so far touched with they have.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Yeah, as a tournament in the grand scheme of things,
there's a lot of golf and there's a lot of
sport out there these days. How does it attract people? Still?
Is it attracting people?

Speaker 3 (01:10):
You know what, Mike, The number one attraction is Queen's Down.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
I let's say it to me personally, but it's definitely
not It's just Queen's Down.

Speaker 3 (01:17):
Queens Own is such an attraction. And you know, I
work hard to get some of the pros to come here.
And if you get them here once, they are hooked
because they just love it. And as you will know,
it's the air as the people as it is just
everything about Queenstown and people just love it. You can
see their moods list when they when they sort of
get out of the taxi when they arrive.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
Yeah, exactly, it's a beautiful place. Danny Lee, Are we
making too much of him? I mean, yes, he should
have been here. He is here now. That's good, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (01:43):
It's absolutely fantastic. And he's come here with a really
great attitude and I'm just a love it.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
But he's come back.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
You know, you're right, he's been to some degree a
bit of beforeigner at some time, and I think he's
really chafty. He says, said he can't walk anywhere anywhere
without thirty people saying all those to him. And I
think he's really enjoying that, which is fabulous.

Speaker 1 (02:02):
And what about our old mate Elka. I mean, given
what he's up to these days, you'd have to be
looking at him, wouldn't you.

Speaker 3 (02:08):
Yeah, you'd never count him out. I mean he would.
Brendan Jones won this torn at age forty eight two
years ago, so there's no way that that somebody of
that advantage is not capable of winning it, as Steve
certainly is.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
And I think he's.

Speaker 3 (02:21):
Just quietly confident this year. He came in a few
days earlier. In previous years he's sort of just flown
and you know, dusted off the clubs and out he goes.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
Because he does play all over the world.

Speaker 3 (02:31):
As you know, on Champions Tour, but this is really
I see him in a bit of it's certainly in
a bit of health condition. Last year he picked up
the cold and we're pretty damn miserable. So I think,
as christ there would be a dream. Resolved to have
Steve run up there at the top.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Fantastic, go well with that. Michael Glading, who's the New
Zealand Open tournament director, and Mike have been walking around
been walking the dog around Millbrook for the last couple
of days. It's looking picture perfect for.

Speaker 3 (02:55):
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