Gisborne students in the swing of things at secondary school golf tournament

Campion College student Josie Keast won the girls' 18-hole gross at the Tairāwhiti Secondary School Golf Competition held at the Poverty Bay course. Photo / Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti

Rising golf talent was on show at the Tairāwhiti Secondary School Golf Competition on the Awapuni Links course on Tuesday.

And none have risen higher over the past couple of years than Gisborne Boys’ High student Marcus Gray.

The left-hander and Tairāwhiti team member at two national interprovincial men’s tournaments, not surprisingly, won the boys’ 18-hole gross, although only just.

Marcus Gray chips on to the 18th green during the Tairāwhiti Secondary School Golf Competition at the Awapuni Links course. Gray won the boys' 18-hole gross. Photo / Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti

Gray carded 79 to win from fellow GBHS students Ruan Ludwig and Jeremiah Rimene.

Campion College’s Josie Keast won the girls’ gross from Gisborne Girls’ High’s Vegas Lawler - a reversal of the junior girls’ final at the Full Send long drive competition at the links in January.

Gisborne Girls' High School student Vegas Lawler putts out. She finished runner-up in the girls' 18-hole gross at the Tairāwhiti Secondary School Golf Competition. Photo / Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti

The Tairāwhiti competition was run by NZ Golf participation and sector support coordinator Anaru Reedy, with support from Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti, Andy Abrahams of SHARE Gisborne, Paul Mullooly of Gisborne Financial Services and Tairāwhiti Golf.

Nearly 60 students from six schools took part.

Reedy was rapt with how the day went and has been highly impressed by the raw talent being revealed in his NZ Golf role, which covers an area from Te Puia Hot Springs to Wairoa.

Gisborne Boys' High student Tristan Williams putts on the sixth green at Poverty Bay Golf Club. Photo / Tristan Williams

RESULTS - Boys’ division, 18-hole gross: Marcus Gray (Gisborne Boys’ High) from Ruan Ludwig (GBHS) and Jeremiah Rimene (GBHS).

18-hole stableford: Maioha Waru (GBHS) from Tristan Williams (GBHS).

Girls’ division, 18-hole gross: Josie Keast (Campion College) from Vegas Lawler (Gisborne Girls’ High).

9-hole ambrose: Gissy Gooners (GBHS) from Team Stomur (GBHS), The Toppers (GBHS), Team Gypsy (Lytton High), Team Kundi (Lytton).

6-hole ambrose: Waikohu Blue from GGHS/Lytton mixed team, Waikohu Red.

Gisborne Boys' High School's Riki Reedy watches the progress of his drive off the 10th tee at Poverty Bay Golf Club during the Tairāwhiti Secondary School Golf Competition. Photo / Whiti Ora Tairāwhiti