Golf: Teenage trio named to contest Eisenhower

11.00am

New Zealand will send its youngest ever team to next month's Eisenhower Trophy world teams golf championship in Puerto Rico, New Zealand Golf said today.

The three-strong team consists of 18-year-old Kevin Chun (Auckland), and 19-year-olds Riki Kauika (Wanganui) and Josh Geary (Tauranga).

NZ Golf high performance manager Graeme Scott today described the trio as very talented young players.

"It's fair to say that probably three or four months ago these three players were fighting it out for the third spot in the team. Having said that, they are very talented young players who have proved that they can shoot low numbers in big events," he said in a statement.

The in-form trio forced their way into contention after the defection of United States-based Brad Heaven to the professional ranks and the withdrawal of Brad Iles after his freak accident in the US.

"It is an exciting opportunity for the players and for the future and at the same time it will present a new level of challenges.

"In view of their general lack of overseas experience at this calibre of golf, the expectation on the team to take out a top spot will be lower than we might have had a few months ago," Scott said.

"But we are confident that the three players will acquit themselves well, they have an incredible desire to do well and they will hugely benefit from this experience."

Chun and Kauika, both former national junior representatives, have both performed strongly both at home and abroad this year. Chun (Titirangi) won the Tasmania Amateur Open, was second in the North Island Amateur and played consistently on a number of international appearances this year in Australia, Malaysia and Japan, where he competed in the world junior championships.

Kauika (Manor Park) is the current South Island amateur champion, shared second at the New Zealand strokeplay and also has had considerable experience in Malaysia, Australia and Japan.

Geary has battled his way into the cream of New Zealand's elite amateur golf with some outstanding performances in domestic events this year.

He started with a victory in the North Island Amateur in Hamilton, was second in the first trial behind Australian David Lutterus, won the second at the Bay of Plenty open, fourth in the third at the Auckland Strokeplay and streeted the field to win the final trial at the Waikato Strokeplay at the weekend.

The team will get together for two days in the Hawke's Bay under new performance coach Brian Doyle, before Geary heads to the Singapore Open where he will represent New Zealand along with Waikato's Mark Purser.

He will join Chun and Kauika on the Sunshine Coast in Australia on September 19 for a five-day camp, playing on the Bermuda grass courses they will find in South America.

The New Zealand team to contest the Eisenhower Trophy World Teams Championship at Puerto Rico from October 28-31 at the Rio Mar Beach Resort & Golf Club is:

Kevin Chun (Auckland), Josh Geary (Bay of Plenty), Riki Kauika (Wanganui). Performance coach: Brian Doyle (Hawkes Bay). Manager: Terry Pulman (Auckland).

- NZPA