Four in a row for Whanganui's 15-year-old golf sensation at 2018 Ricoh Wanganui Golf Open Event

Champions of the 2018 Ricoh Wanganui Golf Open Event, Junior Tatana and Tara Raj with Stuart Thornton from Ricoh. Photo / Supplied

Whanganui golf sensation Tara Raj made it a four-peat when she became the Ladies Gross Champion of the 2018 Ricoh Wanganui Golf Open Event on Sunday.

Raj, 15, finished the day with a score of 150, four clear of nearest rival Zhuoyi Hu on 154 and what was a reversal of roles from earlier in the day.

"The level of competition was pretty high, in the morning I didn't have the best round and she was four shots in front of me," Raj said.

"But then I got a caddy in the afternoon and I started playing good."

That caddy was her sister, Kyra Garrett, who inspired Raj to take up golf when she was seven or eight years old, along with sister Dana Garrett and mum Arlene.

"Kyra really brought my confidence up and I could tell that she believed in me, so that made me believe in myself," Raj said.

"I thought about it and I said, 'I can just play as good as I can', so I just tried to make heaps of birdies and eventually it came right."

Thomas Spearman-Burn of Miramar finished four shots off Men's Gross Champion Junior Tatana. Photo / Stuart Munro

Raj said it was the best win she has ever had at the open.

"I've usually won by quite a margin, but this time I really felt the pressure, I was nervous and that meant that it felt really good to get the win.

"I'm hitting the ball a lot better than I was at this time last year."

For her efforts, Raj raised the winners' trophy, which she has now done four times in a row, and received a $200 voucher for Rebel Sport.

Her next challenge will be taking on the best in the NZ Women's Under 19 Championship in Palmerston North on September 5.

"I'm feeling good about it, I'm hitting the ball well and I know the course so hopefully I'll perform," Raj said.

"There are lots more girls coming through at Manawatu Wanganui Golf so each competition has been getting tighter and tighter and that's good."

Manawatu Wanganui Golf Inc are hosting a representative fundraiser tournament on September 16 in Feilding to raise funds for the cost of competitions.

The Men's Gross Champion for 2018 is Junior Tatana from Palmerston North who beat Regan Cording by one shot.