Neuman stoked to be team leader

Northland are confident they can swing their way to a podium finish at this year's North Island Junior Interprovincial Golf Tournament, held at Cambridge Golf Club in the Waikato.
The team contains the nucleus of the 2009 contingent, including team captain Lee Neuman, who plays for Northland Golf Club.
Seventeen-year-old Neuman experienced his first interprovincial tournament with Northland last year, where he was No 2 in the line-up, behind Chris Alexander playing No1.
This year Neuman was pleasantly surprised when he was selected to play No1 and skipper the eight strong team.
"Our selection was based on our performances throughout the year and I've had an alright year, so I was sort of expecting it (to be named at No1) - but was stoked when I found out," the NorthTec Sport and Recreation student said.
Earlier this year, Neuman won the Northland Under-23 title and also secured wins in the matchplay and strokeplay at his club championships.
Northland finished sixth at the interprovincial in 2009, but with a number of players having gained experience at national events over the past 12 months, the team aims higher this year.
"A top four finish would be a good effort. There is the potential there and we have some good younger players coming through ... it's just a matter of putting in the performance when it counts," Neuman said.
Northland are likely to be challenged by traditionally strong teams from Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Auckland and Manawatu/Wanganui who won last year, Neuman says. Hawke's Bay, North Harbour and Poverty Bay are also competing in the tournament, where each player contests seven rounds of matchplay - against their opposite from each of the provinces in the competition. The team who wins the most matches wins the competition.
"My personal goal is to win at least four out of the seven matches." He has shot a 66 before, and believes it is achievable on the par 72 course where the annual tournament is played. Neuman will compete in the under-19 division along with Waipu's Chase McKeown (No2) and Thomas Neylon (No3), Whangarei Golf Club's Chris Alexander (No4) and Kevin Kruse (No5) from Rawene Gold Club. While Kaitaia's Sean Masters will play No6 in the under-16 division with No7 Kadin Neho from Whangarei and The Pines Luke Brown, who will play No8.
The Northland team faces Bay of Plenty on Monday, North Harbour and Manawatu/Wanganui on Tuesday, Auckland and Hawke's Bay on Wednesday and Waikato and Poverty Bay next Thursday.