Former Zespri AIMS Games golf champion Carson Van Asselt cheers on athletes

Carson Van Asselt, 18, won the team golf competition in his debut at the 2015 AIMS Games. Photo / AIMS Games Media

As dozens of golfers prepared to tee off in the 2022 Zespri AIMS Games, a former champion was watching on.

Carson Van Asselt won the team golf competition in his debut at the 2015 AIMS Games with his brother Tyler.

This week, the now-18-year-old trainee professional has been cheering on this year's AIMS athletes.

Van Asselt said the week-long intermediate-age competition was a great start to tournament golf.

"It puts you in a competitive environment and it is a great way to meet people all over New Zealand."

His advice to this year's athletes was: "Make the most of the opportunity".

"Learn as much as you can from it. Use it to your advantage."

AIMS Games golf co-ordinator Mike Campbell said there were 85 18-hole golfers and 16 nine-hole golfers.

"For a lot of them, it is probably their first exposure to competitive golf. But they have fun first and foremost."

Campbell said the Games were also good exposure because athletes played at Omanu, Te Puke, Tauranga and Mount Maunganui golf clubs.

"It is a great showcase of our Western Bay clubs."

You-Ju Lee and her dad Woo-Sung Lee. Photo / Zoe Hunter

Heading into the final round yesterday, You-Ju Lee from Bethlehem College held a narrow one-point lead in the girls individual stableford competition with 72 points.

You-Ju Lee said it was her first AIMS Games.

"This is my home course," she said. "It is a beautiful course. I love the fairways."

Asked what she loved about golf, You-Ju said: "Everything".

Her dad, Woo-Sung Lee, said the AIMS Games was a good event.

"It is great people from different regions come together to play golf."

Judy Kim from Omanu was coming fourth with 68 points.

Mount Maunganui Intermediate's team of Tom Crosby, Tobin Callahan, and Sean Lee were coming third on 141 stableford points. They were four points behind the leading team from ACG Parnell College.

Heading into the final round of the nine-hole competition, Carlos Kenny from Omokoroa No.1 School was leading by three stableford points in the individual competition.
Taumata School's Rory Carter was tied second with 39 points.

Krinesh Singh from Kawerau was leading with a combined total of 81 stableford points, leading the boys' individual competition over Elijah Huriwaka from Opotiki.

Rotorua golfers Kadin Martin (left) and Lucas Schofield, both 12, and Aava Shaw, 13, were travelling to Tauranga from Rotorua each day for the Games. Photo / Zoe Hunter

Rotorua golfers Kadin Martin and Lucas Schofield, both 12, and Aava Shaw, 13, were travelling to Tauranga from Rotorua each day for the Games.

Kadin, who finished round one leading the boys individual stableford competition with 43 points, said it was his first AIMS Games.

He said it was "really tough" playing against all the athletes who had lower handicaps than him, but it was fun getting active and outside.

"You get to meet new people who like the same sport."

Kadin, whose idol was Tiger Woods, said he had learned to "stay calm, not get too excited being in the top".

Lucas Schofield, of John Paul College, finished round one tied second with 69 points in the team Stableford competition with teammate Baylee Ross.

"It is tricky trying to keep up with the groups in front because they play really fast," he said.

Lucas said he had never played on the Tauranga course before but said it was "quite nice".

Lucas, whose dad Matt Schofield was a professional golf coach, gave him some advice: "Have fun and try my best".

He said the Games was a fun competition. "It is good to have a good competition for the intermediate kids."