Golfers at the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Academy training at Royal Wellington Golf Club. Photo / Getty Images
A diverse group of emerging golf talent from smaller nations across the Pacific will be well prepared for next year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship after a week-long training programme that included players getting a club-fitting for the first time.
Across five days last week, athletes trained at Royal Wellington, host venue for the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship, and the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport (NZCIS), the $150m sports facility used by the Hurricanes and Wellington Phoenix.
Across the programme, players received specialist training from an experienced high-performance team, including a short-game coach, data and Trackman specialist and strength and conditioning coaching – some of which they were exposed to for the first time. Their combined expertise ensured each participant received targeted guidance to support immediate improvement and long-term development.
The NZCIS venue will also be used by competitors during the 2026 championship, enabling players to benefit from the same elite environment when they return in February.
As the region prepares for the WAAP event to be staged at Royal Wellington from February 12-15, the academy continues to play a central role in strengthening pathways for emerging golfers.
The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Academy, delivered by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), completed its second edition last week.
Launched earlier this year, it was established to provide high-performance coaching and support for players who may not otherwise have access to elite training environments.
This year’s academy cohort was led by three players who competed in the 2025 WAAP Championship: Guam’s Tyanna Jacot, Papua New Guinea’s Margaret Lavaki and Samoa’s Faith Vui. The wider cohort featured invited players from Fiji, Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
While they each aim to make the cut in the championship for the first time, their participation underscores the academy’s role in supporting players who are already competing on the regional stage but require greater access to elite coaching to progress further.
The academy also included a strong contingent of New Zealand players, with representatives from the New Zealand Māori Golf Association and promising juniors from Royal Wellington Golf Club.
Lavaki, 30, is the first Papua New Guinean woman to be in the WAAP Championship.
“All of the coaching and technology, along with waking up very early to get on the course, doing this, doing that. That’s a lot of experience.
“I especially learned a lot during the club fitting. Where I’m from you just get a club and you hit the ball and try to get it there, but with the technology these days, the club is suited for your swing.
“I learned a lot about the golf club itself and how to hit shots to certain styles and distances,” Lavaki said.
“I’m really thankful to everyone for helping me out with my game and my journey with golf.”
Jacot, a promising 17-year-old left-hander, was born and raised in the tiny Pacific nation of Guam.
“It’s been hard work and I’ve learned a lot over the past couple days. I’d attended another camp earlier when I was a teen but this is on a different level.
“I’ve learned a lot about my short game, my long game, the mental side of golf, and also the physiotherapy side of things and how to maintain your body so you can continue and play at your highest level.
“I feel like I’m going to have an advantage in this year’s championship because I’ve seen the golf course here at Royal Wellington. I can already tell what the weather’s going to be like and how it’s going to play.”
Jacot believed she could help put her country on the map through her performances as well as inspire younger players from her region.
“When people ask me about Guam, I usually say it’s a small island in the Pacific Ocean, it’s only 30 miles [48km] long, 15 miles wide, but great weather, good golf, good people and there’s a lot to see out there.
“Golf is very popular. There are a lot of golf courses, there are a lot of golfers and a lot of fun.
“I really am proud to represent Guam. A lot of people don’t know where it is, but I feel like through me more people will be able know about the island, know where it is and that it actually it exists.”
Samoan golfer Vui echoed Jacot’s comments about representing her home nation.
“I am very proud to represent my country, Samoa, here at the academy. It’s just great to carry my flag on my shoulders and represent my people.
“I’ve learned so much and I’m hoping to take what I’ve learned and apply it to my golf and my daily life. To have these professionals helping us out is just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
After the academy, players will continue their preparation for the 2026 WAAP Championship at Royal Wellington, which will be an opportunity to test their development, measure progress and compete on one of amateur golf’s most significant stages.
The WAAP champion will earn places in the AIG Women’s Open, The Chevron Championship, and the Amundi Evian Championship.