Golf: Keen tussles expected in Wanganui Golf Club finals on May 15

Teenager Sera Raj (pictured) will take on Carron Thompson in Wanganui Golf Club's top women's division. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Two of Whanganui's best men's players will battle it out for the Wanganui Golf Club's senior crown this Saturday.

Current champion Riki Kauika will take on Fergus Smith in a match pitting two in-form players against each other.

Kauika spent some time as a professional but is now back in the amateur ranks. He represented New Zealand in the Eisenhower Trophy tournament in Puerto Rico in 2004. And he just happens to be a teammate of Smith in the club's Manawatu-Wanganui B grade pennants-winning team this season.

Smith spent a season on a college golf scholarship in the US before returning to his home city.

Whanganui PGA professional Peter Cassidy knows both players well and reckons it should be a great final.

"Riki is the far more senior player with international experience as both a pro and an amateur, and it takes a fair bit to get him rattled," Cassidy said.

"He doesn't hit the ball as far as Fergus but has an excellent short game."

Cassidy said Smith could be a "little bit nervy" going into the final but he was a very good young player capable of putting together a strong game on the day.

"If Fergus gets on a roll it will be a very interesting match," Cassidy said.

Their 36-hole championship match tees off at 8.04am with the other games following on.

The Belmont course is in prime condition for the finals, which will find the best players across men's senior, intermediate, junior and C grade divisions, as well as the best women's players in Silver, Bronze 1 and Bronze 2 divisions.

The women's top division will see Sera Raj facing Carron Thompson. Sera is a younger sister of outstanding Belmont prodigy Tara Raj.

Like the men's senior decider, the men's junior and intermediate matches will also be played over 36 holes as too the women's Silver and Bronze 1 matches. All the other games are decided over 18 holes.

Members of the public are more than welcome to watch the finals at Belmont.

The finalists are:

Men - Senior: Riki Kauika v Fergus Smith. Intermediate: Keith Slight v Saia Fisilau. Junior: Peter Wallis v Lindsay Anderson. C Grade: Phil Brown v Roger Falloon.

Women – Silver: Sera Raj v Carron Thompson. Bronze 1: Yvonne Wallis v Sandra Eden. Bronze 2: Lyn Hussey v Judy Jensen. 18