Amateur golfers score tee-rific chance to play The Open course

Helen Williamson and Yusuke Imaizumi will tee off at the Make Time Play 9 final during the New Zealand Open in March. Photos: Supplied

A couple of casual nine-hole games of midweek golf with friends have earned two Canterbury golfers a once-in-a-lifetime shot.

Helen Williamson who plays at the Pegasus club and Yusuke Imaizumi from the Russley club will play for the chance to travel to England for the world invitational golf tournament to be held before the The Open at Royal Liverpool from July 16-23.

Williamson, 52, and Imaizumi, 24, were randomly selected as the monthly winners of a promotion run by Golf New Zealand.

To enter The Make Time Play 9 initiative golfers of all ages and skill levels submit a nine-hole scorecard to go in the draw.

Williamson and Imaizumi also received return airfares to Queenstown to compete in the Make Time Play 9 final, which will be held in March with the New Zealand Open.

They will join seven other lucky winners from around New Zealand who will tee off for nine holes at Millbrook Resort.

The two best players will win trips to the 151st Open to take part in The R&A 9-Hole Challenge. The final in England will feature 42 nine-hole players from 21 countries.

Two Canterbury golfers will compete for a chance to play at Royal Liverpool in July. Inset – Ryan Fox during the 150th British Open. Photos: Getty Images

Williamson, who took up the game in her mid-20s and now plays off a 15 handicap, and Imaizumi, who has been playing since he was 15 and has a scratch handicap, both admit winning a trip to Queenstown wasn’t on their minds when they signed up for the chance to take part in their qualifying rounds.

"Just winning a trip to Queenstown is an amazing prize . . . let alone being in with a chance to go and play the lead-in event for one of the world’s most special golfing majors,” Williamson said.

Said Imaizumi: “I feel a bit like Ryan Fox. I’ll certainly be hitting the driving range and putting greens over the coming months to get in a bit of extra practice as there’s a lot on the line for winning.”

Golf New Zealand development general manager Thiem Nguyen called the Make Time Play 9 initiative a “money can’t buy experience”. It has so far attracted about 220,000 entries nationwide.

"For two lucky Kiwi golfers, they will have the opportunity to play on the same golf course as Ryan Fox and the best professional golfers in the world for the Open Championship,” said Nguyen.

"I know that Helen and Yusuke, along with the other qualifying finalists, will be excited about the Queenstown experience and will practicing incredibly hard over the coming weeks to sharpen up their games, with an eye to securing that elusive spot to play in the world finals."