Golf champion Nick OHern visits Zilzie Bay
Golf champion Nick O’Hern visits Zilzie Bay in Queensland today (Monday) to inspect the world-first Reef Palms course being built and installed by Ozgolf Technologies.
O’Hern, who defeated Tiger Woods in February in the third round of the World Golf Championship matchplay, has offered to endorse the revolutionary project that continues to set global environmental benchmarks.
The 2006 Australian PGA winner will take a firsthand look at the rapidly emerging golf course combining a system of synthetic greens, tees and fringes with Keppel couch fairways being treated by NutriMix – a 100 per cent organic mixture that retains moisture in the soil resulting in minimal irrigation of fairway grass.
NutriMix, a product developed by Soil Sub Technologies, is derived by mixing the major by-products of sugar or palm waste with either natural or artificial peat.
Both Ozgolf Technologies and Soil Sub Technologies are Queensland based companies.
Zilzie Bay is a $1.6 billion residential and resort project set on 447 ha and overlooking 27 Great Barrier Reef islands.
The Reef Palms recreational precinct at Zilzie Bay was recently judged the best new sports facility in Queensland by the Master Builders Association.
O’Hern, a member of the two-man Australian team that competed in the World Cup just weeks ago in China, is keen to back Australian innovation.
The CEO of Sub Soil Technologies, James Callianiotis, announced that Nick O’Hern had accepted the role as ambassador for NutriMix and was excited about the concept of the world’s first golf course using the NutriMix product on its fairways and synthetic grass on grees and tees.
"All parties have worked really hard to reach this point and it is quite exciting to have an involvement with groundbreaking technology such as this involving NutriMix, Reef Palms and Ozgolf Technologies," Mr Callianiotis said.
Zilzie Bay developer Chris Dadson said he was delighted that a golfer with such an imposing international record had offered his support.
"Nick has played in every major event in the world of professional golf and he is very excited about our progress at Zilzie Bay.
"This is without question the future of golf and it is certainly capturing plenty of attention around the globe."
O’Hern, a stylish left-hander, was also a member of the International Team that competed head-to-head with the United States in the Presidents Cup played in Canada in September.
Presidents Cup team mates included major champions Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen, Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera and Mike Weir, along with K J Choi, Trevor Immelman, Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini and Adam Scott.
Nick O’Hern arrives at Zilzie Bay at 1pm for a scheduled two-hour inspection before flying to Sydney to prepare for the 2007 Australian Open beginning on Thursday.
Media representatives are asked to assemble at Zilzie Bay by 12.45pm.
Interviews and photo opportunities will be available on request.