Coach Susan Farron is putting history aside as her young New Zealand golf team attempt to win the Junior Tasman Cup for the first time.
The team take on Australia for the Cup at Hutt today and tomorrow. New Zealand have never won the biennial contest in its 13-year history.
Wins over Australia in golf have been rare, but there have lately been some encouraging results. The New Zealand team were runners-up at the Queen Sirikit Cup in Adelaide, two places ahead of the Australians, and New Zealander Andrew Green beat Australia's best to win the New Zealand Amateur title over the weekend.
Farron believes her young charges are well prepared with some solid build-up tournaments and knowledge of the Hutt course.
"To me the fact that we have never won this before is history," she said.
"What is in the past does not matter, nor what is in the future. All that matters is what is here and now for this team."
The Cup consists of two foursomes matches and four singles matches on the first day, followed by two reverse foursomes matches and another four singles contests on the final day. Two points are awarded for each match won, with these points shared in a halved result.
The team is Sarah Bradley (Cambridge), Zoe Beth Brake (Whakatane), Yeon Song Kim (Takapuna), Dasom Lee (Pakuranga) and Lisa Wright (Nelson).
- NZPA
