When Tyler King set off for Timaru to play the South Island under-19 golf tournament last weekend, he had high hopes of making the top five in the under-19 age group and the top two in the under-17 category.
But the 15-year-old caused a major upset by winning the covetedtitle by two shots after he shot a three-round total of even par 216 at the tricky Timaru Golf Club Levels course.
The win was a total surprise to the Tauranga Boys' College student as he admits he was hitting the ball poorly and struggled to keep his drives on the fairways until the final nine holes of the tournament.
"I struggled throughout the tournament and shot about 100 in my practice round," King said.
"I had the big hooks going, which is not really my type of game. I normally have little fades but I got the ball in the hole from chipping and putting a lot better than the other players, which helped me a lot. I had only 27 putts in the second round of par 72.
"The course was interesting in places, especially 14 and the last hole around the water.
"You couldn't miss it left and you couldn't miss it right. You had to hit the right shot.
"I was quite nervous in the first six holes of the last round and, to make the final group, was a big step. Then the others in my group started struggling so I thought I had to pull my head in after nine. I went birdie 16, birdie 17 and had a one-shot lead going to 18, so had to hit a good drive and I bombed it down the middle. It was an awesome feeling.
"I enjoyed the feeling of winning at the time and wish it didn't stop, but now it is about the next tournament and sorting it out again."
King took up the game when he was 12 and has made rapid progress to now play off a scratch handicap. He has represented Bay of Plenty at number one in the under-16 team and is hoping to make the under-19 team later this year.
He is grateful for the help he has had from his first coach, Mickey Strong, and current mentor Jay Carter, plus his supportive parents.
Tauranga Golf Club member Chris Charlton was also in contention for the tournament title but he four putted the par-5 11th in the final round, after being on the green for two, and finished in a tie for second, two shots behind King.
