[2] The reigning champion is Takahiro Hataji, who won the 2024 event; the 2021 and 2022 editions were cancelled due to risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first round of the Open was played on the morning of 10 September, the amateurs also competing in a club team event.

[6] A handicap event was held on the following day and the second round of the Open was played on the morning of 12 September.

The amateur Arthur Duncan had a second round of 76 to win with a score of 159, seven ahead of J. Carne Bidwell.

[7][8] In 1908 the tournament was extended to 72 holes, and was won by Joe Clements, the first notable New Zealand-born professional golfer.

However, shortly after the tournament ended it was discovered that Murray hit a putt while his playing partner was also putting.

In 1954 Bob Charles, who was later to become the only New Zealander to win a major championship in the 20th century, won as an 18-year-old amateur.

He won again in 1966, 1971 and 1973, as a professional, and he and the two Australian major champions Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle dominated the event from the early 1950s to the mid-1970s.

In 2002, Tiger Woods took part as a thank you to his New Zealand caddie Steve Williams, but he did not win.

In 2006 the event was moved to November, taking its place on the European Tour schedule for the following calendar year.

The New Zealand Pro-Am Championship runs alongside the main tournament in a best-ball format.