Vodafone Fiji Open 2009

 The Event

 The Fiji Open Golf Championship is a 72 holes Championship event and is played over four days (18 holes a day). The history of this event however is different. The inaugural Air New Zealand Fiji Open was staged at the Vatuwaqa course Suva November 14 and 15 1970. Future Open dates were subsequently changed to the bank holiday long weekend in August. The first Open was 54 holes stroke play subsequently made in the following years to a 72

holes tournament to comply with International Open standards. Prize money was set at F$2,000.00 for the inaugural Open Championship. Jim Hanley was President of the Fiji Golf Association at that time and Sir John Flakey, president of the Fiji Golf club, committee members at the FGC were Mark Israel, Don Warren, Reginald Woodman, Gordon Murray, Mrs. Arthur Leys, Stephen Gammon, Trevor Blanchard, Ron Connolly, Tony Cooper and Tony Burns. The Open Champion received a miniature of the Championship Rose Bowl, the tournament champion’s blazer and the prize money.

 The original Fiji Open invite

The Open Championship perpetual Silver Rose Bowl for the winner of the event in the 70’s and the early 80’s will be “represented” to the NGAF at the 2005 Open by John Cooper. Because of the nature of this sports following hundreds of players and supporters would attend the social occasions associated with the Open at the Suva Travelodge and at the Golf Club. Roger Donaldson filmed the Fiji Open in 1079; Roger has become one of the worlds top movie directors with Smash Palace, Cocktail and Sleeping Dogs amongst his portfolio. The Fiji Visitors Bureau sponsored hole-in-one prizes and the following companies became associate sponsors: Carreras(Fiji) Ltd, Fiji Gas, Fiji Beer, Professional Golf Federation, Morris Hedstrom Motor division, Fiji Airways (now Air Pacific), Hotel Tradewinds, Burns Philip (South Pacific Ltd) Morris Hedstrom Wine and Spirit Department, A.C.I Harvey South Pacific, Atlantic and Pacific Travel, A.S Farebrothers and Co.

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