Junior golfers show mettle at RH Classic

JUNIOR golfers Brian Tiakiri and Joanne Cholai  played beyond their years to post outstanding performances at the annual Rimbunan Hijau Classic in Port Moresby over the weekend.
The two-day tournament which has run for the past 14 years has become a much anticipated challenge for members of Port Moresby’s golfing fraternity but even older and more experienced players had to take their hats off to Tiakiri, 15, and Cholai, 16 who scored well at the 36-hole event.
Tiakiri in particular took out the men’s A  grade title shooting 153 to finish ahead of Soti Dingi who carded 154 in a close race.
Cholai, 16, was awarded the women’s nett top finisher shooting 145 overall with a 68 on day two, yesterday.
Both juniors are regular golfers at the Port Moresby Golf club with Tiakiri having a handicap of six.
The duo will be part of team NCD at next month’s PNG Games with Tiakiri aiming to carry his winning form at the event.
In other results, former Gumine Open member Nick Kuman carded 140 to be the men’s overall nett winner while Bruce  Garlick (140) in B grade and Ron Bell (139) in C grade  made the top three.
For the women, Antoinette Amputch was named overall (gross) winner with 163 while Cholai finished second.
Major sponsor Rimbunan Hijau, through executive director Ivan Lu, said the company had been running the classic since 1996 and it was a much anticipated tournament in the club’s calendar.
“We’ve  been running the challenge for 14 years now and we always get a good response from the Port Moresby club members with everybody looking forward to the two-day event.”