Decided to play this event as the winners get entry into a couple of tournaments in the USA. Played the Te Puke GC. Tight fairways and hard fast greens. Shot 1 under my first round. Few dumb boogies but a hole out eagle from 115m into the 10th helped my round. Round 2, I wanted to put a round together I could be proud of. Played some good golf and finished 3 under. 4 under total. Took the win – Happy days. Qualified for the Sean Foley world’s in Las Vegas 2023 and hopefully gain entry into the IMG world’s at Torrey Pines.
Blog
2022 Jack Newton International
I was selected to represent NZ so great to play as part of the NZ squad. Played Cypris lakes golf course just out of Sydney. Good tough challenging course. Had a great first 2 rounds shooting back to back 68s. Bit of a hiccup with the third round with a 73 but still had the lead by 1 shot going into the last round.
The flat stick wasn’t working on the front 9 but considering, even par was acceptable. A couple of bad tee shots found the OOB and I was playing catch up. Tried pushing too hard which didn’t work out for me. Really gutted with my day. Probably the worst I’ve ever felt after a round of golf. I won the 16yrs division and represented NZ for the first time. Very proud to wear the silver fern. It hurts but I’ll learn from it and be stronger for it.
2022 Gary Player Classic
Dad and I went over to Queensland in September and I played in the above tournament 16-17 age bracket. At Pacific Golf Club – Brisbane 20th/21st I had rounds of 71 and 68 to be one under par and alone in 3rd place going into the final round.
Final round was delayed a day due to rain so on Friday 23rd, got off to a bad start being 6 over after 8 holes before an eagle and a couple of birdies and bogeys to finish with 74 and tied 3rd.
Great experience traveling and playing overseas. Not the result I wanted but learnt a lot. Hit the ball nicely for 2 days and struggled a little on those big grainy greens.
2022 NZ Under 19’s
I had shot 75 and 71 on the opening two days to be four-over, and knew it would be a tall ask to catch the leader. I got off to a slow start, too, playing his opening three holes in one-over. But then I found my groove, making three birdies on the trot from the fourth, and would make the turn in a couple under. With the leader Liu shooting one-over in his opening nine, I had cut the lead to two.
After making seven pars in a row, followed by a birdie on the 17th, now I had taken sole possession of the lead and stood on the final hole four shots in front.
Packed full of adrenaline, blasted my second shot to the par 5 final hole over the green and out of bounds, leaving the door slightly ajar for Liu. However, I kept my composure, hitting my fourth shot short of the green, where I was able to make up and down to save bogey and win by three.
It felt great to come from behind and win a national title. “I’m really stoked. It was a tough fight out there; I really had to work for it, but it was awesome. I just wanted to hit 18 greens; that’s all I was working on. If I’m hitting lots of greens, it minimises the chance of making bogeys, so that was a big part of the game plan today.”
My heart rate increased after hitting his second shot on the last hole out of bounds, but was happy with a final round of 69. “That was tough. My heart was in my mouth for a second there. Thankfully, I hit my provisional short, so I could chip it up to the hole and hole the putt. I’m smiling.”
2022 Kapi Tareha
We got a good field for the Napier Golf Club main tournament for the year including NZ no 1 amateur Joshua Bai and Jayden Ford among others. Weather was good and the course was in great shape. I shot two opening 69’s to be leading Joshua Bai by 5 shots going into the last round.
Joshua fired 6 birdies in the front nine holes to my 2 birdies and 2 bogeys. I birdied the last hole to tie Joshua after 54 holes. Playoff. We teed off on the 18th and my ball stuck up a tree only 30 meters out from the green so playoff lost and I finished 2nd. Not a bad results and I would have taken it at the start of the weekend but not the way I wanted to finish the tournament.
2022 Waikato Winter Strokeplay – Win
Played at Tieke Golf Estate in a top field. Opened with a 70 that included 5 birdies and a terrible triple bogey on the par 3 13th. Lying 2nd one off the lead. Second round played really solid and had the best round of the afternoon in awful conditions for 69 to carry a two shot lead into round 3.
Next day in the third round lost my way somewhat when a couple of guys went low, I stumbled with 4 bogeys to shoot 73. Not the worst but not good and I was now two shots behind the leader. Final round and found my swing again. Putted pretty well throughout. With a birdie 2 on 15, I was leading the tournament by 2 shots with three holes to play. Second placed Dale birdied 16 and 17 so we were tied playing the last par 5 – in the near dark. Good tee shot and second to be greenside. Chipped to 7 feet and holed the putt – birdie – and to win the tournament by a shot! Yeah boi.
2022 North Harbour Strokeplay – Win
First attempt at this tournament at a tough course – Wainui Golf Club – and with the new clubs too. Everything came right and I hit the ball really well. I managed 10 birdies and had 3 three putt bogeys on those large undulating greens for a 65 to open a 6 shot lead on a pretty good field. All the birdies were around the 5-10 feet range.
Second round I played just as good with 7 birdies, an eagle and a double bogey for another 65 to win the tournament by 9 shots. Great result – played awesome -love the clubs.
2022 New Clubs
Rocked up to my Tuesday lesson @ Andrew Henare Golf and these bad boys were waiting for me. WOW!!! I was speechless. I didn’t have a clue I was getting these. It’s the first time I’ve ever had a new set of irons. Yeah Boi.
What’s in the bag…
Titleist 690mb irons. 3-PW
Titleist SM9 wedges. 52, 56 and 60.
Titleist TS3 driver, XS shaft
Titleist TS3 3wood.
2022 Waipawa 27 hole Open
Another local tournament this weekend. OOM even for HB Mens and Junior selections so hoping for some stiff competition. Had a 68 for the first 18, two eagles 3 birdies. Bit unlucky to have a lost ball, another competitor found it later in the day plugged in the middle of the fairway. Had the lead by one shot after 18 so good to feel a bit of pressure. Took control with another eagle and two birdies in the next 9 holes to win by 6 shots at 8 under par.
2022 Napier GC Club Champs.
First round of qualifying for 2022 club Champs. Had some really rough weather at the start of the day that thankfully calmed down a bit by lunchtime. Got off to a slow start and the bogey on 6th hole left me even so had to focus a bit more. Very happy to finish with 5 under 67. Great up and down on the 18th. Can’t wait for the next one.
Second round of Club Champs – I didn’t play my best and struggled to hit it close but ran into a red hot Preston Tatana who was 4 under when he beat me 3/2. Out of Club Champs – bugger.