Taikiri, Annato get backing going into PNG Open

THE iPi Group has sponsored local amateur golfers Morgan Annato and Brian Taikiri at the 2019 SP PNG Open with tees off today.
The company backed the 24 year-olds to compete alongside professionals from South East Asia including Australia and the South Pacific region.
The iPi Group is proud to support local golf by helping more locals compete at the elite level with the professionals.
The Open (May 9-12) at the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club goes four rounds ending on Sunday and will see top golfers from across the region, including reigning champion Daniel Gale, who will attempt to defend his 2018 title.
Annato and Taikiri thanked the iPi Group for its support and for giving them the opportunity to be a part of the Open.
Taikiri, from Milne Bay, shot the lowest score by local golfer at the RPMGC with a nine under 63 in the second round, and was last year’s leading amateur.
He said the best thing about the competition was competing with professionals across the region.
“In PNG we don’t have a lot of professional golfers, so competing alongside the pros gives us that learning experience that we need as local amateurs,” Taikiri said.
While presenting the iPi tailored t-shirts to the two golfers, iPi business development director Trent Scott said: “The iPi Group is happy to support PNG’s emerging golfers and we wish them well for the tournament and what I hope is a catalyst for their careers ahead.”
The two iPi Group sponsored players are ranked as the top amateur golfers in PNG who are currently vying to make the cut tomorrow. With only one registered PNG professional golf player, both amateurs shared the same sentiments and said PNG needed more local professionals and thanked The iPi Group for its support.
The iPi Group has over the years strongly supported local sports individuals and teams in PNG and will continue to do so as part of supporting the communities in which the company works.