Youngsters Kairangi and Anahera Koni might be names worth keeping an eye on in the future.
The Dunedin siblings have qualified for a couple of international golf tournaments later this year, on the back of top-two placings in the US Kids Tour event in Auckland.
Anahera (6) won the girls under-7 section after winning all four tour events, including the final round at the North Shore Golf Course at the weekend, when she fired a 4-over-par 40.
With double points on offer in the final round, she finished on top of the standings with 150 points and earned the opportunity to represent New Zealand in the US Kids World Championships, in North Carolina, in August.
Kairangi (7) shot a 7-over-par 43 to win the final event in Auckland at the weekend, but had to settle for second overall in the boys under-8 section.
However, it was enough to book a spot to the US Kids Transtasman Cup in Sydney in May, where he and his sister will go head-to-head with the best two Australian golfers in their respective age groups.
To prepare for the overseas tournaments, the pair will do some fundraising and continue to play in the Otago Junior Order of Merit Tour.
They will also play in the men's and women's club day competitions at their home clubs, Chisholm Park and Island Park.
The siblings' father, Dan, said Kairangi started playing golf when he was 2 and competed in his first competition when he was just 4.
Anahera started playing when she was 3.‘‘I'm just a weekend hacker, but when they were young and before they could walk, I would take them in the buggy,'' Mr Koni said.
Their success keeps Dan and his wife, Liz, busy, particularly with travelling to various events.
Yesterday, Mr Koni took them to Christchurch for a training session with women's world No1 Lydia Ko, ‘‘their golfing legend''.
‘‘This is just the start for them,'' their father said.
‘‘They get to play on some really nice golf courses. Every course they play at, I get to play with them, so I'm thinking about myself, too.''
Kairangi and Anahera, who attend St Bernadette's School, in Forbury, have to juggle golf with rugby in winter when they play for the Dunedin Sharks under-8 team.
