Golf: Young NZers chase Eisenhower success

1.00pm

New Zealand's fresh-faced Eisenhower team see a top-10 finish as a successful result when the world amateur teams golf event tees off in Puerto Rico tomorrow.

The New Zealand combination of Josh Geary (Tauranga), Riki Kauika (Wanganui), both 19, and Kevin Chun (Auckland) 18, is the youngest to represent New Zealand at the Eisenhower.

Their lack of experience and the loss of top amateur Brad Iles to injury have not dampened their approach to the 24th world teams championship.

"Reality would suggest that a top-10 performance would be an excellent result for this young and inexperienced team," national coach Bryan Doyle said.

"But this bunch is itching to go. They don't want to hear about top-10. They want to try and win this tournament."

The championship has attracted a record 70 nations for the 72-hole team strokeplay event, with the best two scores to count each day.

The New Zealand team have completed three practice rounds on the Ocean and River courses at the Rio Mar Country Club, and will play the River course today before the championship begins tomorrow.

"They are very different courses in nature. The River Course, which is the Greg Norman design, is longer and narrower but seems to be the course where the numbers are lower," Doyle said.

"The greens on the Ocean course are very undulating and very coarse. They are not very good and it's hard to envisage making many putts unless you are very lucky."

Doyle said they met with the New Zealand women's team, who finished ninth in the Espirito Santo event last week.

"They confirmed our thoughts about the two courses and helped with some other information which is great."

The women's team also left behind their heat reflective umbrellas which have already been a distinct advantage.

"It's been very hot and humid since our arrival. We've had none of the wet weather so far that the women's team had to cope with, although the River Course, which is developed around wetlands, is still extremely damp.

"Managing the heat and your nutrition is definitely going to be a real factor."

And while his young team are champing at the bit, Doyle has impressed on them the need to be patient this week.

"Course management and patience will be an absolute key here. The women showed that. They kept to the game plan the whole way.

"Certainly I can see that the Ocean course could become frustrating and we will need to show real patience."

New Zealand have enjoyed two runner-up placings at the Eisenhower, as well as their win in 1992 in Canada.

The team of Geoff Clark, Stuart Jones, Ted McDougall and Ross Murray were second to USA in Spain in 1970, while the quartet of Stephen Alker, Michael Long, Grant Moorhead and Brent Paterson finished in a share of second with the US behind Sweden in Christchurch in 1990.

Two years later Campbell, Phil Tataurangi, Stephen Scahill and Moorhead celebrated their victory over the United States in Vancouver, Canada in a record low 72-hole score which still stands.

The United States are the pre-tournament favourites as they chase their 13th victory, and they have only twice been outside the top-five in the event's history.

- NZPA