Queenstown teenager Ricky Kang has been named Otago No 1 for the first major teams event of the season this weekend.
The 17-year-old tyro will take the top spot for the South Island interprovincial men’s tournament at the Pleasant Point club.
It continues a rapid rise for Kang, the Korean-born younger brother of former Otago women’s No 1 Sumin Kang.
He made his debut for Otago at No 4 at the New Zealand interprovincial tournament at the Russley and Harewood clubs last year.
Kang, who plays out of Millbrook, is the Southland strokeplay champion and was selected for the New Zealand under-19 team this year, and his captain is confident he will handle being No 1 with ease.
"He’s a rock star," Duncan Croudis said.
"He’s been in the final group of a couple of Charles Tour events, so he is more than capable."
Former Otago No 1 Will McLauchlan has moved to Sydney.
The other big change is that the South Island interprovincial tournament now has teams of six instead of the usual eight.
That brings the tournament more in line with the national tournament, which has teams of five with one reserve.
It does mean two fewer golfers getting some high-level experience, but there is still the Otago matchplay at Labour Weekend then the New Zealand Amateur in Invercargill for players to press their claims.
Croudis will back up Kang at No 2, and Cromwell golfer Troy Scott — who made a promising debut for Otago last year, and won his home tournament last week — is at No 3.
Seasoned lefty Ben Patston is at the tail of the order behind two more young guns, Noah Novacek and Connor Howes.
Novacek made his senior debut at this tournament last year and followed that by winning the Otago matchplay, while Howes will be on debut, having become the first Otago golfer to win the Eagles under-17 title last year.
"They’re both trending really well, and it’s pretty exciting to have these young fellas who are all playing good golf," Croudis said.
"Noah won Arrowtown with a 66, so he’s going well, and Connor had a 66 at Cromwell.
"I think we’re playing better than this time last year, which is exciting, so hopefully we can get it done."
Croudis has never played at Pleasant Point but has heard good things from the Otago masters golfers, who played there a couple of weeks ago.
Another Millbrook golfer will be at No 1 in the Otago women’s team.
Yoonae Jeong is fresh off her victory in the Pegasus Classic and will relish a chance to show the rest of the South Island her wares.
Jeong is joined at the top of the order by rising Island Park golfer Anahera Koni. Both claimed silver at the South Island age group championships at Coringa recently.
Koni and No 3 Sophia Park have had a good amount of senior experience, despite their youth.
Wanaka golfer Nikki Shaw returns to the Otago lineup at No 4, Savannah Neal (Futures Whakatipu) makes her debut at No 5, and Tracey Storer brings her experience to the tail.
Canterbury won both South Island titles last year. The Otago men were second and the women third.
