US scholarship beckons teen

HEADING STATESIDE:Wanganui golfer Amber-Rose Thompson-Newth has received two offers to join an American university on full scholarship. PHOTO/FILE A_091114WCBRCGOLF06

WANGANUI'S outstanding golfing prospect Amber-Rose Thompson-Newth is like the belle of the ball, choosing between two courting suitors, as the teen will become the latest local sportsperson to accept a full scholarship to an American university.

The 19-year-old Castlecliff club member and Manawatu-Wanganui representative player has received offers from Post University in Connecticut and Sterling College in Kansas to join their golf programmes, while having her tuition and accommodation fees covered.

"Each is for the first year, then you're offered more or the same depending how you've performed for the first year," Thompson-Newth said.

"It's always something I've wanted to do because it's an opportunity to play and train at the same time."

Looking to expand her horizons, Thompson-Newth received a note from NZ Golf telling her about an Australian company which will approach American schools on behalf of their clients to arrange scholarships.

"They came over and we had a trial day to play golf and see who did well, then there was an interview."

Accepted by the Aussie group, they secured the two offers and Thompson-Newth now has about a month to complete her research and make her choice before the American school year starts in August.

She will also have to decide what academic degree she wants to pursue, feeling she will spend the first year doing "general courses" before settling on a major, ideally something involved in sports.

Thompson-Newth's schedule will revolve around school study and golf practice during the week, then playing in various tournaments under the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) banner against other schools on the weekends.

Long term, she hopes being domiciled in America will lead to an opportunity to join the professional tour circuit with the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LGPA), where countrywoman Lydia Ko is currently ranked world No1.

"That's definitely a goal of mine."

Thompson-Newth said her family were a little sad she will have to depart, but really excited for her career prospects.

Also excited is her Castlecliff Golf Club, which arranged a fundraising tournament for her on Anzac Weekend.

There were 140 players in the field, which brought in $2000 for the grateful teenager.

"They've taken really good care of me."

It will be an interesting choice because both Post and Sterling are very different schools.

Over 7000 students attend Post in the north east of the United States.

The sports teams are known as the Eagles after the school mascot and compete at NCAA Division II level.

In the American midwest, Sterling is a much more intimate institution of just over 600 students.

Its teams are known as the Warriors, and they compete in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) events " national level competitions held between smaller schools.

Thompson-Newth will become the latest Wanganui athlete to join the American university system to further their careers.

In 2013, footballer Shaan Stuart accepted a full scholarship to Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia, which plays NCAA Division II soccer.

Last year, world-ranked junior tennis player Paige Hourigan received around 20 scholarship offers before settling on Georgia Tech in Atlanta.