Golf: Youngsters drive standards

Youth will be to the fore as North Harbour try for a hat-trick of wins in the women's interprovincial tournament at Palmerston North next week.

Harbour beat Auckland in the final at Invercargill last year, thanks mainly to an incredible performance by number one Stacey Tate, who was six under the card after nine holes in beating Jessica Park.

But Tate and Natalie Storck have headed for university in the United States and Annece Choi is in Korea, where she qualified as a professional. The experienced Catherine Mitchell and 17-year-old Bobea Park are the survivors from the winning team.

Into the lineup come 17-year-old Bobae Kim, 15-year-old Mi Kyung Kim and 14-year-old Sharon Ahn.

Ann Cambie, who has administered the Harbour association since its inauguration 10 years ago, is not surprised by the influx of youth or the predominance of Koreans.

"They are so dedicated and their work ethic is wonderful," she said. "It should get everyone else off their backsides.

"The men have risen to the challenge and lifted their games. Hopefully the women can do the same thing."

North Harbour have never been afraid to field young players. They won the interprovincial at their first attempt in 1995 at Titirangi.

Auckland will field an even younger team than Harbour at the Manawatu Golf Club next week.

Last year they had the older Brigit Holford and La Nahi with three teenagers. This time the lineup consists of two 16-year-olds and three 14-year-olds. But the youngsters do not lack either experience or form.

Enu Chung, who is due to represent New Zealand at the Espirito Santo tournament in Puerto Rico later this year, has withdrawn from the Auckland team because of a family illness in Korea.

Natasha Krishna, who was always going to play at number one, will now be joined by Jessica Park, Jane Lee, Da Som Lee and Boram Lee.

Manager Kaye Carroll has no qualms about fielding such a young team, though she admits it's helpful that she has children the same age.

"They've beaten everyone else so they deserve to be there," she said. "Older players worry about who they're playing. These girls just play their own game and play the course.

"I'm pretty confident about who's in the team and which order they're in. It will help that Stacey Tate won't be six under after nine this time!"

Harbour have slightly the easier draw in pool play, meeting Taranaki, Tasman, Bay of Plenty, Otago, Southland and South Canterbury. Auckland face Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Canterbury and Northland.

Bay of Plenty and Wellington will be strengthened this year with the presence of Espirito Santo team-mates Penny Newbrook and Sarah Nicholson, while Northland are a rising force with Mi Ri Joo and Haeji Kang.

Competition begins on Tuesday with the semifinals, grading matches and final to be played on Saturday.

Auckland's chances in the men's interprovincial tournament at Napier in November have suffered a blow with the unavailability of matchplay expert Richard Hislop.

The Grange player had been unbeaten in his last two interprovincials, taking the player of the tournament award in a winning Wellington team at New Plymouth.

The five-man team for the Napier tournament will be named after the Garrard Shield 10-man event at Remuera on October 16-17.