Greater Building Society continues QLD PGA support
BY iseekgolf.com | Von Nida Tour | 2006 Queensland PGA | General | 15 Jun 2006
Organisers of the 2006 Greater Building Society Queensland PGA Championship said the tournament promises to be the best yet at the recent launch of the event at The Villa hospitality and golfing facility on the Gold Coast.
The Von Nida Tour event will be held at Emerald Lakes Golf Club, Gold Coast, from 2 -5 November.
Last year’s sponsor, The Greater Building Society, today renewed their sponsorship for a further two years following the tournament’s success in supporting its rapid expansion into South East Queensland.
Greater Building Society assistant general manager, Don Magin, said that the championship also provided an opportunity to continue its long and proud history of supporting the development of sport in the communities in which the Greater operates.
“We wanted to support this important Queensland sporting event because it provides a stepping stone for players wanting to be stars on the world golfing stage,” Mr Magin said.
Mr Magin said that last year’s tournament offered plenty of good golf. Brad McIntosh recorded the first ever sub 60 round in a professional tournament in Australia while Scott Gardiner’s and Jason Day’s four hole play off ensured an exciting finish.
Present also at today’s launch was the man after whom the Von Nida Tour has been named, Norman Von Nida. ’The Von’, as he is affectionately known, now lives on the Gold Coast and this is the only event he is now able to attend but he was keen to point out the satisfaction he gets out of having his name involved in the development of young Australians looking to make their way in the professional game.
“It has been of great pleasure to me, in my latter years, to have the Von Nida Tour as an important stepping stone for Australian golfers,” said the Von. “The opportunities that this Tour and events like the Greater Building Society Queensland PGA offer are immeasurable.”
The 2006 Greater Building Society Queensland PGA Championship will bring a week of golfing activities at Emerald Lakes to a climax. The popular Night Shootout will be held on Tuesday October 31. A new addition will be the “Family Fun Day” on Saturday November 4.
David White, general manager Nifsan Pty Ltd, the owners of Emerald Lakes and The Villa, expressed his delight at the Greater’s ongoing involvement in the tournament.
“The Greater are an asset to the tournament and their decision to come on board again for the next two years is tremendous news for the tournament and Queensland golf,” Mr White said.
Gavin Kirkman, Senior Executive Officer of the Qld Division of PGA Australia said tournaments such as the Greater Building Society Queensland PGA Championship helped to grow the game and provide a great boost for golf in the Gold Coast region.
“This event attracts over 200 golf professionals from Australia and New Zealand to the Gold Coast,” Mr Kirkman said.
The event was voted the best on the 2005 Von Nida Tour and will be positioned to maintain that status with several new initiatives being introduced again for the 2006 event.
This will be the fourth year that the event has been held at the Graham Marsh refurbished Emerald Lakes course. The course is a part of the $1 billion master planned Emerald Lakes Residential Development which will incorporate more than 1600 homes, a 37 ha lake, 11kms of walking and bike tracks, recreational and sporting facilities and eco-friendly wetlands. A European village with a café and retail outlets is also planned.
The Greater Building Society is one of the fastest growing financial institutions in the country. It currently has four branches on the Gold Coast. It will open a new branch at Pacific Pines in June and one at Nerang in July. Further branches are planned as appropriate sites become available.
Source – PGA Australia
