The Play Today New South Wales Open, one of the most fabled tournaments on the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia, is set to showcase the region’s best golfers on one of the Murray River’s finest layouts in March.
NSW Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin announced today the 92-year-old championship would head to the renowned Rich River Golf Club in Moama, from March 16-19 next year.
“The NSW Open Golf Championship is a significant event on the state’s sporting calendar, which the NSW Government is proud to support again in 2023,” Franklin said.
“Moama is a jewel of regional NSW and the Rich River Golf Club is one of the nation’s finest courses, which will attract thousands of fans to watch some of Australia’s best golfers vie for the Kel Nagle Cup.
“The championship will draw fans, competitors and officials from across the nation, staying in hotels and spending locally in cafes, bars and restaurants, providing a major economic boost to the NSW Riverina region.”
Stuart Fraser, chief executive of Golf NSW, was thrilled with the venue, adding the economic benefits of hosting the NSW Open in a region just beginning its recovery following the recent floods would be significant.
“This is a fabulous opportunity for us to take the Play Today NSW Open to a region where it will provide a much-needed financial boost to those directly impacted by some of the worst floods in the state’s history,” Fraser said.
“The public has been incredibly resilient during this challenging time, and we are thrilled we can hold the tournament in a community like Moama at the Rich River Golf Club.
“This is another excellent example of how our sport delivers as good corporate citizens.”
Nick Dastey, ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia tournaments director, said confirmation of the venue for the NSW Open on the 2022-2023 schedule was significant, falling at a crucial period as players battle for vital Order of Merit points.
“This a real coup for the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia and our players,” Dastey said. “Rich River is a fantastic venue and one that the PGA of Australia is very familiar with having staged many events there in the past.
“There’s no doubt the tournament will deliver a much-need boost to a community heavily impacted by floods, and we are excited to be staging another tour event along the Murray River.”
Rich River Golf Club chief executive Shane Gloury said he expected the course to be in excellent shape for the championship.
“The tournament will be held on the East course here at Rich River,” Gloury said.
“We’ve just installed a new irrigation system and completed some significant bunkering upgrades, so the course condition will be at another level when the championship comes around.
“We know Rich River will be a worthy test when the field lines up here next year.”
FACT SHEET
Host venue: Rich River Golf Club, Twenty-Four Lane, Moama NSW 2731
Dates: March 16-19, 2023
Website: www.nswopen.com
Prizemoney: $400,000 (Min)
