James Anstiss is abut to start an important few days of golf - but that is becoming normal territory for him.
Anstiss is lining up this morning in the New Zealand Amateur Championship at the Russley Golf Club in Christchurch.
It is just the latest tournament in what has been a hectic past few months for the young golfer who discovered his love for the game as a 14-year-old.
Anstiss, who comes from Queenstown, finished a golf scholarship at Southeastern Louisiana University in May this year and since then has been all over the globe working hard on his game.
He is now aiming for a professional career -al though he remains an amateur - and has racked up some impressive efforts in the past few weeks.
He said his time in the United States really helped his game.
`You are out playing golf every day. When I first showed up I started playing and sort of straight away I was No1 or No2. I pretty much stayed there the whole time,'' he said.
He racked up some good wins when he was studying. He was named the Louisiana newcomer of the year his first year in the United States and was named in the All-Louisiana second team for three straight years.
His personal highlight was winning the Louisiana Golf Association Amateur title last year with a 9-under-par 279 on the Carter Plantation course. By doing so, he became the first 72-hole wire-to-wire champion since at least 2004.
After graduating with a bachelor of science in finance, golf has become his focus. He went to Europe for a month to play a few tournaments before heading back to New Zealand.
Anstiss (22) was lucky and good enough to get invited to the Asia-Pacific Championships in Wellington last week, when he finished inside the top 20.
``It was fantastic. There were really big crowds there and it was played in great conditions. Not the normal Wellington conditions you are used to.
``I put some solid rounds together. I was pretty handy after a couple of rounds but then it didn't quite happen over the weekend.''
He is coming off a second at the Harewood Open and a 13th at the Ngamotu Classic in New Plymouth, both last month on the Charles Tour.
A fulltime professional career beckons although he has to get past the two stages of qualifying school in Australia over the next few months.
``I'm just playing golf every day and trying to be as good as I can be.
``I've just got to be consistent. Just keep your head down and not worry about things when it goes bad. You can't worry about anyone else.''
Anstiss has a financial backer to fund his golf but declined to say who it was.
The oldest of four children, he was introduced to the game when he was 14, going to the small Frankton club for a round with a couple of mates.
``You couldn't get me away from it after that. I loved it straight away.
``Now I'm only a baby really in golf terms. A lot of it now is about experience. I've got to keep working on my short game ... about getting confidence and thinking you are as good as those around you.''
Anstiss said the first qualifying event clashed with the national interprovincial tournament and he would love to play for Otago again.
He hopes to get an exemption - they are not easy to get but one way would be to win the tournament which starts at Russley today.
``If I won this week then that would be one way to get it ,I would hope.''
