Youngsters enjoy Pro-Am

By JACK AMI
EIGHT-year-old Lachlan Pianta was all excited as he stepped onto the greens at the Royal Port Moresby Golf Club in the Bank South Pacific Junior Pro-Am event yesterday.
Pianta pushed his own buggy in the Ambrose event with professional golfer Braden Becker, 12-year-old Filbert Yabra and 16-year-old Natalie Mok in the one-day event.
Even though the youngster strayed with some of his shots he had the benefit of gaining valuable tips from the softly spoken Becker.
Pianta, who is a year three student at the Ela Murray International School, enjoyed his time leading the group over the nine-hole event.
Western Highlands-based Yabra is himself an avid golfer have gotten the opportunity to hone his skills at his local course in Mt Hagen.
For Mok, who competed at the Morobe Open Pro-Am competition finishing fourth in the women’s division, said spending time with a pro was something she had gained from since it is not every day PNG’s junior golfers were able to play alongside players of a high caliber.
She said her biggest challenge would be to travel to the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October.
Mok said her father Joe had introduced her to the sport at a young age and she enjoyed playing regularly.
She said playing alongside professionals was always a good thing because she learned from watching them.
Becker, who will compete at his third SP PNG Open starting tomorrow and finished second at last week’s Morobe Open, said getting to play with PNG’s young talent was a privilege and hoped he had imparted some useful advice to the trio.
The BSP Junior Pro-Am, which received K10,000 from the bank, involved 18 junior golfers.
BSP general manager (corporate) Peter Beswick said the bank was a keen supporter of junior sport and were pleased to be doing its part to helping junior golf.
““BSP has always been a supporter of junior sports development in PNG whether it was swimming, cricket or golf. We know that this event will enhance development at this level with the association of the PGA Golf Professionals,” Beswick said.
Royal Port Moresby Golf Club junior golf coordinator Rosalind Taufa thanked BSP for their commitment to junior golf.
“We thank BSP for their continuous support. The BSP Junior Golf Pro Am is a much anticipated event that the children look forward to for selection and to play alongside a professionals.”
This partnership with junior golf started in 2013, and has since seen great development in the code. One of the highlights was sending juniors who qualified to participate at last year’s Pacific Mini Games.
“Since the success of our junior’s at the Pacific Mini Games, interest in golf at the junior level has increased and we have amongst us junior golfers who are now Team PNG silver medalists,” Taufa added.
This year’s event saw the participation of national junior female champion Mok and selected level 3 and level 2 players namely Amona Brazier, Lachlan Pianta, Aniken Gribble, Jeremiah Marru and Hannah Richards that were given an opportunity to be part of the six competing teams to gain experience.
Mok’s other level 4 peers included Justin Wungen, Nigel Mirupasi, Neville Gabriel, her brother Joshua Mok and Alison Golohave.
Taufa was hopeful the junior golfers were be able to appreciate the various facets of the game such as the rules and etiquette on and off the golf course, promoting the International Olympic Committee values of excellence, friendship and respect.