Chase McKeown is aiming for the top as he tees off in the Bay of Islands Strokeplay championships at Waitangi today.
The tournament is the start of an important few weeks of golf for the 18-year-old, as he tries to nail down a spot in this year's Northland team for the Toro Interprovincials in December.
The Bay of Islands event, over 36 holes at the Waitangi Golf Club today, is the final qualifying tournament for selection into the team but given how many players are vying for the top five, competition is likely to continue right up until when the team is finalised in early November.
McKeown's form has improved markedly this year. He won the Citrus Open at Kerikeri two weeks ago and his fourth place at the Waikato Winter Strokeplay this year has added to his credentials. He is confident of further success this weekend.
"I'm pretty happy with my golf at the moment, and I'm very confident about this weekend - I told my coach [Quenton Diment] that I'm looking to win," the Waipu golfer said.
McKeown has a further chance to impress the Northland selectors with some top class golf events being held at his home club over the next two weeks.
"I'm really looking forward to it, September is a big month for me and it gives me a real home advantage to have so many top events at my own course," he said.
The action kicks off for him in a strong Whangarei Boys' High School team at the secondary schools nationals on Monday.
"We're hoping to win the contest for the team but I'm aiming at top-five in the individual contest as well," he said.
He's aiming for a top-10 in the U19 nationals that follow on from the schools competition from Wednesday to Friday and then he will play in the Bream Bay Classic on September 15-16, a New Zealand Order of Merit event that always attracts a top field.
He has been working on his golf daily over the past three or four months and is striking the ball more cleanly and particularly powerfully off the tee - averaging about 270m.
Northland selectors have a tough job ahead of them this year, with a wealth of young talent currently in the region.
With Kadin Neho at 16, the probable No1 for Northland, filling the other spots from the likes of McKeown, Lee Neumann, Alex Neely, Sean Masters, Thomas Neylon and Luke Brown - all in their teens or early 20s - will be difficult with only Brad Bonnington and Brett Dormer able to offer much in the way of interprovincial experience.