· The New Zealand Open will be celebrating its centenary this year, having first been played in 1907 and won by New Zealand amateur A D S Duncan.
· The Hills GC will be staging the vent for the first time in its history. It will also see the South Island host the tournament for the first time since 1985.
· Niclas Fasth’s victory in 2005 was only the second by a European, following Ronan Rafferty in 1987
· The New Zealand Open has a rich line of former winners, including six Major Champions – Bobby Locke (1938), Peter Thomson (1950, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1959, 60, 61, 65 and 1971), Bob Charles (1954, 1966, 1970 and 1973), Kel Nagle (1957, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1968 and 1969), Ian Baker-Finch (1983) and Corey Pavin (1984 and 1985). Charles has accepted an invitation to play this year, aged 71.
· Defending Champion, Nathan Green, came from six shots back to win, which was the equal highest final round winning comeback by a winner on The European Tour in 2007. Padraig Harrington (The 136th Open Championship) was the other.
