The Hills did not have the ability to ask anyone for money to secure the next New Zealand Open, because it was "only the venue", The Hills general manager Sam Gent said.
The Hills had no financial data on any of the three Opens held at Michael Hill's private course in Arrowtown and it was not the "revenue-collecting entity", she said.
"[Promoter] Tuohy and Associates is the one that does that," she said.
"The reality of it is, we can't go and ask anybody for money.
"All we can go on is what New Zealand Golf have said to us about financial realities.
"The only thing that's concerning at the moment is this talk, `If Michael wants it, why doesn't he put his hand in his pocket?'.
"He's created this beautiful golf course ... and it has cost a vast amount of money.
It's not about him having to bankroll a tournament for the rest of his life."
Michael Hill's jewellery business has been the Open's naming sponsor since 2007 but does not want that role in the future.
While no decision had been made on where the next tournament would be held, Gent said she understood New Zealand Golf would be talking to the Government and was still expecting an announcement at the end of the month.
The Hills was "willing to keep going, keep investing and keep doing it for five years", but wanted the tournament to align with the OneAsia Tour, which was a bigger tournament with a $US1 million purse.
Gent understood if the Open was held at Clearwater, in Christchurch, it would probably be an Australasian Tour.
"What we're saying is when the prize money goes up ...
"TV exposure is lifted and that's the key."
