For the first time in the 112-year history of the NZPGA Championship, there will be an innovative ‘State of Origin' team event and the chance of a female winner.

Among past winners of the championship are New Zealand golfing royalty such as touring professionals Sir Bob Charles, Greg Turner, Frank Nobilo and Michael Hendry.

But the April 28 - May 2 event at Te Puke Golf Club, is open to women competing off slightly shorter tees, so the 2021 winner could well be called Julianne Alvarez, Darae Chung or Momoka Kobori.

Momoka Kobori, a 21-year-old Cantabrian, in January created history as the first female winner of a mixed field New Zealand PGA event.

Further intrigue surrounding the history event is the introduction of a regional team competition, with the PGA on Saturday announcing the team captains and format for the championship.

Professional players often missed playing for their regions, when they left the amateur ranks, PGA teams' event manager Hamish Campbell says.

Four-player teams from Northland to Lower South will compete for the newly-introduced Rohe Trophy, which will be blessed by local iwi. Rohe is the Maori term for region.

Among the captains are Momoka Kobori, who leads a Canterbury squad that has her brother Kazuma in it. Kazuma Kobori won the last NZPGA Championship held, in 2019 at Pegasus in Wellington.

Among the other skippers are experienced professionals Harry Bateman (Wellington); Pieter Zwart (Hawke's Bay); Kieran Muir (Bay of Plenty).

Each team must have two professionals, at least one woman, and an amateur, all playing for the regions where they started in golf. The top two scores count for each round.

Professionals missed being able to represent their home area when they switched out of the amateur ranks, PGA teams event manager Hamish Campbell says.

'We really love playing in the team ethos of golf and there are not many opportunities in the professional side to do this,” says Hamish.

'This is a special part of the championship now and bringing men, women and amateurs together in this will be what golf is all about for us at the PGA.”

PGA of New Zealand general manager Dominic Sainsbury felt team's element will would add another dimension to the championship.

'We really want to celebrate golf at the grassroots where our love of the game was nurtured and recognising where it all began for our members,” says Dominic.

'The Rohe Trophy is going to be a nice connection for us to the local communities throughout New Zealand and showing the many different things that golf can bring to all those who engage in the game.”

Kevin Norquay/Stuff