Raj dynasty continues at Junior Tiger event

TIGER GIRLS: Sera and Tara Raj won the girl grades at the Junior Tiger qualifier in Palmerston North on Sunday.PHOTO/SUPPLIED 080315WCSUP03

It was another double sister act for the Raj family at the Junior Tiger's Manawatu-Wanganui qualifier at the Palmerston North Golf Club on Sunday.

Junior Tiger is an open invitation youth tournament played at clubs all around the country to promote the sport.

The qualifiers feature a variety of skill levels from experienced representative juniors through to first-timers.

There were 66 golfers taking part in the Palmerston North qualifier, with winners found in four grades.

Wanganui Intermediate's Tara Raj, 12, won the Girls 12-14 grade, having previously won the Girls 11-and-Under section in the last two years.

Raj's older sister Kyra Garrett won the Girls 12-14 qualifier last year at the Feilding Golf Club.

This year, the 11-and-Under grade stayed in the family as sibling Sera Raj won her tournament despite the St Georges School golfer being the youngest competitor at age 7.

Proud father Dilan Raj said Sera Raj had developed some of that "syndrome of the youngest child" - wanting to be competitive and successful with her older sisters.

Along with the two winners from the boys grades, the Raj sisters will now play in the Junior Tiger national final at the Manawatu Golf Club (Hokowhitu) on April 12.

Tara Raj came fourth in the Girls 11-and-Under grade at the nationals last year.

One of the four national winners on the day will travel to the US to represent New Zealand at the World Junior Golf Championship.

All juniors who entered the qualifiers also went into a draw to win a trip to Disneyland with a family member.