Top junior golfing talent on display

The cream of the crop of Wairarapa's junior golfers will be involved in a North v South under-19 match as part of a Fun Day promotion at the Carterton Golf Club on Sunday.
And they should be fired up for their competition after having received tips from the experts national age group representative Ben Campbell, golf development manager for Golf Wellington Phil Aickin and NZPGA professional Jonti Phillipson before they take to the course.
That trio is involved in a morning coaching clinic open to all Wairarapa junior golfers (boys and girls), and youngsters keen to take up the sport.
Participation is free and equipment will be supplied if needed.
Start time is 9am.
Sunday's North v South fixture is the continuation of a comprehensive junior development programme aimed at promoting the game of golf in the Wairarapa region.
No doubt the participants will be keen to follow footsteps of many headliners who have learned their golf in the local area, people like a British Open winner in Sir Bob Charles, Eisenhower trophy representative Reon Sayer and, more recently of course, Ben Campbell, winner of last year's national under-23 stroke play title after a memorable home straight stoush with Danny Lee.
It's not only bragging rights which will be keenly sought by the North and South players but also places in the Wairarapa age group team to play their Wellington counterparts at the Mahunga course on Sunday, July 19.
The big match-up will come at the top of the order with Jeffrey Tuoro (North) and Jason van Zanten (South) leading their respective teams. Both are products of local and Wellington district development programmes and the Srixon Academy.
Tuoro is now playing his golf out of the Miramar club where he is learning the skills of greenkeeping but he is very much a local lad. Van Zanten is another who has come a long way with his golf in a short time, and who has a reputation as a fierce competitor.
Troy Shaw (North) is the current Wellington golf junior boys 2009 order-of-merit leader who matches his promise with dedication and guile.
He has been in outstanding form in division one inter-club play this year but won't get any favours from his opponent, Tony Russo, who is also a top 10 order-of-merit player and one of the straightest and most accurate hitters in his age group in the Wellington area.
Theirs should be a battle royal from the word go.
Brayden Mazey (North) is a 13-year-old whose stunning progress in recent times is due in large part to the long hours of practice he puts in.
He is now fourth on the order-of-merit and displays all the astuteness of a much older player.
His rival on Sunday will be yet another top 10 order-of-merit player in Owen Lloyd, an unassuming type with an excellent golfing temperament.
No doubt there will be several other stirring matches further down the order as well and the end result should be a close one.
Sunday's match is scheduled to get under way at 12.15pm and the teams, in playing order, are:-
North Wairarapa: Jeffrey Tuoro (Miramar), Troy Shaw (Mahunga), Brayden Mazey (Carterton), Matthew Biel (Mahunga), Toby Tuoro (Masterton), George Deans (Masterton), Ryan Barham (Riversdale Beach), Benjamin Bailey (Carterton) and Ashley-Robyn Howard (Masterton).
South Wairarapa: Jason van Zanten (Martinborough), Tony Russo (Featherston), Owen Lloyd (Featherston), James Perkinson (Martinborough), Jaiden Mills (Martinborough), Sean Peerless (Martinborough), Aaron van Zanten (Martinborough), Walter Barber (Martinborough) and Katie Smart (Carterton).