Japanese non-profit organisation ISPS Handa has taken on sole naming rights to the New Zealand Open golf tournament.
The company partnered with the event ahead of this year’s tournament in March and shared naming rights with German automotive giant BMW.
ISPS Handa has now agreed a deal with the New Zealand Golf organisation and event promoter Millbrook Tournaments Limited to become the sole title sponsor. The event will officially be titled the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open for the three-year term covering the 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions.
New Zealand Golf has also renewed a partnership with the Japan Golf Tour, whereby a minimum of 25 players from the Tour will compete at next year’s New Zealand Open. The PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the JGT, sanctions the tournament.
Tournament chairman John Hart said: “With the tournament’s focus on Japan in particular, it is especially exciting to have ISPS Handa on board as a naming rights partner for the next three years. It gives the tournament enormous stability, and further cements our relationship with Japan.”
Australia’s Matthew Griffin (pictured) is the defending New Zealand Open champion. Next year’s event will take place at two courses in Queenstown – The Hills and Millbrook Resort – from March 9-12.