Pressure off young shoulders

The representative pressure has been lifted from young Whanganui golfer Tara Raj, who will now play at No 2 for Manawatu-Wanganui.

The weight has been lifted from the young shoulders of Whanagnui golfer Tara Raj with the return of Levin's Brydie Hodges to the Manawatu-Wanganui representative fold.

Hodge, who has just returned from a year studying in the USA, has replaced 14-year-old Raj as the Manawatu-Wanganui No 1 for the season. Playing No 2, however, is hardly a demotion for Raj given that both she and Hodge will continue to face off with opposition No 1 and No 2 players at representative tournaments.

On Raj's watch as No 1 the Manawatu-Wanganui team won three, drew two and lost one.
She was also No 1 at last year's Toro tournament where the team finished down the track, while Raj went through unbeaten until the final days.

The Year 10 Wanganui Collegiate student was the only ray of light in an otherwise dismal day for Manawatu-Wanganui against Wellington in Otaki (switched from Levin) last weekend where the senior women got smashed 12.5 to 3.5.

The Whanganui youngster had two wins, beating Darae Chung 3 and 2 in the morning, then Erika Cui 1up in the afternoon.

Raj will now defend her Wanganui Open and Horowhenua/Kapiti Open women's titles in the coming weeks before reporting for representative duty again. The Manawatu-Wanganui side takes on the Cybil Green Tournment in Wellington on Oct 7-8, play Hawkes Bay on October 29, Taranaki on November 19 and the biggy, the Toro International in Whangarei on December 4-8.

The rest of the senior women's team inlcudes Tania Hook (Manawatu), Mudra Lakhani (Manawatu), Lily Griffin (Manawatu), Joanne Wilton-Eadie (Levin), Rebecca Hopper (Manawatu), Lisa Cotton (Pahiatua) and reserve Carron Thompson (Wanganui).

Both Jill Hall and Leanne Brown are missing from the women's Toro team.

Manawatu-Wanganui were well beaten in all grades by Wellington at the weekend, including the senior men, senior women, junior boys and masters men.

Wellington thrashed Manawatu-Wanganui 20-4 in the senior men's competition.

The senior men's team does not feature any players from Whanganui.

The senior men's team includes: Junior Tatana (Palmerston North), Regan Cording (Palmerston North), Regan McConaghty (Manawatu), Ewan Westergaard (Manawatu), Liam Finlayson (Feilding), Guy Perry (Manawatu), Hayden Ring (Hawkestone), Greg Shaw (Manawatu), Shay Melis (Marton), Adam Orlowski (Waiouru), Matt Francis (Manawatu), Sean Griggs (Linton Camp). Reserves: Cory Higgs (Palmerston North), Adam Rapson (Palmerston North)