Teen has prestigious victory

ON A MISSION: Wanganui's Lachy Hughes is bent on making the New Zealand team for the World Golf Croquet Championships in Mt Maunganui next year after a major victory in Takapuna at the weekend.

Wanganui teenager Lachy Hughes is poised to represent his country for the second time after winning a major golf croquet tournament in Auckland at the weekend.

The 16-year-old Cullinane student won the coveted Duncan Dixon Invitation in Takapuna beating some of the best exponents of the game in New Zealand.

All 10 in the field of the invite-only tournament had to play each other in a best of three match-up and Hughes dropped just one game over the weekend to convincingly take the trophy.

New Zealand selectors were on hand and will soon name the New Zealand team to compete at the open World Championships in February next year at Mt Maunganui.

The teenager earned his place inside the top 10 of the world's under-21 players representing New Zealand in Cairo, Egypt, competing at the Under-21 World Golf Croquet Championships in April last year. He finished sixth overall, an excellent result considering that at 15-years-old Hughes was then the youngest competing. Hughes was one of three New Zealanders taking part at the worlds, among 36 teams from eight countries.

His performance on the world stage last year and now this notable win makes Hughes a firm favourite to make the U21 New Zealand, if not the open grade itself.

"The selectors are expected to announce the New Zealand team in May and I hope I've done enough to make the side," Hughes said.

"The U21 World Championships this year are in the South Island just days before the open worlds. You can be selected for both, but I don't know what their [selectors'] thinking is at this stage. In the meantime, I'll just keep competing as best I can and hope I've done enough.

"It was a real buzz winning the Duncan Dixon."

Meanwhile, on Tuesday Hughes turned his talents to track and field at a Cullinane College sports day winning the long jump with a 5.5-metre leap.

"I didn't do too well in the javelin, though."