While other similar tournaments around the world charge at least $70 to get through the gates, NZ Open organisers have kept it free for all.
That’s in part due to Queenstown council’s support of the $8million event — which in turn helps the Open attract government funding — and its desire for locals to benefit from it.
Tournament director Michael Glading says Whakatipu residents continue to be "a core audience".
"If we can keep it [free to attend], we should.
"It’s about getting the locals here — the reason to stop it would be if people stopped turning up, or they turned up in small numbers."
They’re also indebted to sponsors for their support of the tournament, which last year had 3.4m "impressions".
That market’s still "very tough" — over the past year the Open lost two major sponsors, but two existing sponsors, Gallagher Insurance and Manuka Doctor, stepped up to a greater degree.
"So, we’re in pretty much the same boat that we were in last year, which is great."
The pros for this 104th Open are chasing a $2m purse — unchanged from last year — which is a "very, very good outcome", Glading says.
"In the sponsorship market that we operate in today, standing still ain’t bad."
