Golf: Tongue urges forward-looking selection

Leading golf mentor Mal Tongue has told New Zealand selectors for this year's Eisenhower Trophy team to look to the future.

The former national coach believes selection in the New Zealand team for this year's world championship event is wide open and selection should be made with more than just the October tournament in mind.

Former front runners Brad Heaven and New Zealand No 1 Brad Iles are out of contention. Heaven is a professional, playing in this week's Buick Open in America, and Iles is still in hospital in the United States recovering from serious head injuries.

"All of a sudden with Brad going professional and Brad Iles, no-one knows what's happening with him; everyone's got a chance," the Wellington-based Tongue said as the country's best amateurs prepared to play this weekend's Bay of Plenty Open in Whakatane.

The annual 72-hole tournament is the second of four winter events the national selectors are watching as they work towards selecting the three-man combination to play in Puerto Rico later this year.

Tongue, who resigned from his national position in a very public spat with New Zealand Golf officials in March and has been involved with previous Eisenhower campaigns, believed there was only one way to go now.

"Look to the future and give them an opportunity... it's not giving up on this year but giving them a taste for next time," Tongue said.

Tongue isn't involved with national selections but as the country's leading swing guru and mentor to many of the best players, he is in a pretty good position to make an informed judgment.

If he was picking a side to play tomorrow, Tongue said he would punt for the talents of national squad members Riki Kauika and Kevin Chun and possibly in-form Bay of Plenty representative Josh Geary.

Others in his thinking include former Rotorua Boys' High stars Sam Hunt and Mathew Holten.

Tongue believed a side chosen from that group would be capable of winning in 2006 and could be a force this year.

"Sometimes you've got to make a decision of what's best for the future of New Zealand golf... I'd be giving these guys a realistic goal, top 10 would be a realistic challenge and whatever they get better than that would be a bonus," he said.

All prospects are lining up in Whakatane with Geary, the 2004 North Island amateur champion, in good form after finishing the top New Zealander -- second overall -- when Australian David Lutterus won the opening trial, the Waikato Winter Strokeplay, by two shots last weekend.

Geary hit the shot of the Bay Open last year, striking his drive on the par four third for a hole-in-one.

The list of former winners of the Bay title is a who's who of New Zealand golf with professionals Frank Nobilo, Phil Tataurangi, Richard Best, Eddie Lee and Gareth Paddison just some of the past champions.

Play is scheduled for 36 holes tomorrow and 36 on Sunday.

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)