Golf stars align -- including Lydia Ko, Bob Charles and champion Michael Hendry -- at 2013 New Zealand PGA Championship in Queenstown

QUEENSTOWN, New Zealand -- The real winner of the 2013 New Zealand PGA Championship was New Zealand golf, not Michael Hendry.

True, the Auckland resident provided the perfect script, sinking a birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defend his tournament crown, but it was as if every star aligned for tournament officials, fans and sponsors who were treated to a great show at The Hills Golf Club.

The Hills, an exclusive club in the shadow of the Remarkables Mountains, is a true work of art, a demanding course with all sorts of intrigue and nuance. A handful of unique sculptures purchased by course owner Sir Michael Hill add even more scenery to the landscape.

Every fan stopped to photograph the stunning pack of more than 100 wolves attacking a swordsman near the Champions Lounge along the final fairway. The biggest show came when New Zealand's storied past collided with its future. Kiwi legend Bob Charles, a three-time champion of the event, paired up with Lydia Ko, the 15-year-old amateur sensation who has already won an LPGA Tour event, on Saturday as celebrity amateurs.

Charles, the first lefty to win a major, had never played with the teenage sensation before.

"She has no holes in her game," he confirmed.

Even three-time U.S. Open champion Hale Irwin overcame the disappointment of missing the cut to provide some fireworks. He made eagle on the drivable 15th hole both rounds on the weekend, earning fans at the designated party hole 2-for-1 drinks.

The New Zealand PGA Championship hopes to grow into the top pro-am in Australasia. A first-class finish -- accented by an air show and men in kilts playing bagpipes marching down the fairway -- certainly proved the tournament appears well on its way to something special.