WANGANUI golfing sensation Tara Raj has cleared every hurdle on her way to being named No 1 for the Manawatu Wanganui women's team.
The 12-year-old Wanganui Golf Club player is the current points leader of the districts' Order of Merit after winning two of the four events making up theorder.
Raj won the Wanganui women's open at Belmont and the Manawatu Wanganui Strokeplay Championship at Castlecliff this year.
Normally that would have been enough to secure the No1 spot.
However, because of her age, selectors decided to put Raj to the test against several other contenders last weekend to see how she handled the pressure and see if her top form continued.
Raj won that battle by four strokes beating the now No2 women's seed Maraea Durie, a former Manawatu Wanganui team member who has just returned from a golfing scholarship in the United States.
Manawatu Wanganui golf development manager Rhys Watkins said Raj was a talented and promising golfer and fully deserving of the No1 spot despite her age.
"There are several talented golfers her age around the country but I guess it's fair to say she is probably the only one playing No1 for her district.
"Unfortunately, the women's team was weakened with a couple heading off to golfing scholarships in the United States. Castlecliff golfer Amber-Rose Newth-Thompson and Levin's Bridie Hodge have gone but they have been replaced by Tara and Maraea Durie who has only just returned from the golfing scholarship in the States."
Meanwhile, Marton's Lachie McDonald was named No1 in the men's team with Castlecliff's Hayden Ring No 2. Both were in the 2013 Manawatu Wanganui team to win the national interclub championship (the Toro) for the first time in 50 years.
The men's team will contest the annual Shand Cup, while the women's battle it out for the Sybil Green on Saturday and Sunday.
