Bay of Plenty Times
  • Bay of Plenty Times home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport

Locations

  • Coromandel & Hauraki
  • Katikati
  • Tauranga
  • Mount Maunganui
  • Pāpāmoa
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Luke Toomey playing for the love of golf and not the trophies

Zoe Hunter
By Zoe Hunter
Bay of Plenty Times·
13 Oct, 2019 06:52 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Luke Toomey won the Carrus Open in Tauranga in front of friends and family. Photo / George Novak

Luke Toomey won the Carrus Open in Tauranga in front of friends and family. Photo / George Novak

Luke Toomey has learned a lesson from his four year old self.

Before he turned professional, Toomey said the boy in him just played for the love of golf and not for the trophies.

"Four-year-old Luke couldn't have cared less about what he shot or what he won, he just loved playing golf," he said.

"If I can be half of that now, I think that is a pretty good place to be."

But last weekend, the 26-year-old lifted a trophy in a moment he will treasure forever.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

READ MORE:
• Golf: Toomey goes back-to-back on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour with Carrus Open win in Tauranga

Toomey won the Carrus Open in front of loved ones on his home course in Tauranga on Sunday, securing back-to-back tournaments on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour.

He also won the DVS Pegasus Men's Open title in Christchurch at the beginning of the month.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Toomey said it wasn't often that his mum and girlfriend were able to walk alongside him in a tournament, which made the win even sweeter.

"To go and hoist up a trophy for them is just an unbelievable feeling," he said.

Discover more

Luke Toomey returns to China PGA Tour

03 Apr 12:15 AM

Tauranga pro golfer Luke Toomey eyes back-to-back titles

09 Oct 04:12 PM

Oscar Cadenhead leads day one of Tauranga's Carrus Open

10 Oct 04:53 AM

Golf: Luke Toomey wins in Tauranga

13 Oct 05:12 PM

"It felt like it was me and the world versus a few other guys. It certainly filled me with energy. Especially right at a time when I was running on empty."

Returning to Tauranga after a not so successful stint in China, Toomey said his immediate focus went to the New Zealand events.

"To win both is the best way I know how to say thank you and what that means to me is really indescribable," he said.

The double win has opened up more opportunity for the Tauranga pro, who will attend Qualifying School with the PGA of Australia in January.

But he is yet to decide what is next for his golf career.

"Now I might potentially have the funding to get myself to Asia or I might even bank that and save it for Japan or Europe later in the year," he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

One thing that is certain, is the love he felt for the game when he first picked up the clubs when he was four remains strong today.

"I play because I love the game and I still do," he said.

Mount Maunganui golf pro Hayden Beard. Photo / George Novak
Mount Maunganui golf pro Hayden Beard. Photo / George Novak

Meanwhile, Mount Maunganui pro golfers Hayden Beard and Josh Geary and Ōmokoroa's Kieran Muir are in China for the Hainan Open, Foshan Open and China Tour Championship.

Muir has a lot to play for in the upcoming China events, which could see him leapfrog from third to first on the China Tour order of merit to secure a full European Tour card for 2020.

"I'm looking forward to competing. The course and host setup are both new to me. That's both challenging and exciting at the same time," he said.

"Like any event, it's a chance to learn and improve. Put systems in place, test them and then evaluate. This week helps prepare me for the next."

Omokoroa's Kieran Muir. Photo / File
Omokoroa's Kieran Muir. Photo / File

Josh Geary also has a lot riding on China, with hopes to finish in the top 15 so he can secure a spot on the European Tour next year.

Hayden Beard hopes to finish inside the top 60 to secure his playing status on the China Tour for 2020.

"I feel great going into the Hainan Open game and looking to cement myself through to next year," he said.

"This is one of the last three tournaments left on this tour so good performances in these two events should help lock up my tour card on the China tour for 2020."

Josh Geary. Photo / Simon Watts
Josh Geary. Photo / Simon Watts
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Bay of Plenty Times

Police warn gangs after major drug operation

18 Jun 06:04 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

'Life-changing': International flights return to Hamilton Airport

18 Jun 05:23 AM
Bay of Plenty Times

Police deal blow to Greazy Dogs' meth production

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Bay of Plenty Times

Police warn gangs after major drug operation

Police warn gangs after major drug operation

18 Jun 06:04 AM

Police arrested 20 Greazy Dogs members over alleged meth crimes in Bay of Plenty.

'Life-changing': International flights return to Hamilton Airport

'Life-changing': International flights return to Hamilton Airport

18 Jun 05:23 AM
Police deal blow to Greazy Dogs' meth production

Police deal blow to Greazy Dogs' meth production

'I hate him': Partner of slain Tribesman lays blame for death at president's feet

'I hate him': Partner of slain Tribesman lays blame for death at president's feet

18 Jun 03:00 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Bay of Plenty Times e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Bay of Plenty Times
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP