"Grit, Resilience, and a Taste of What’s to Come: JMC Golfers Shine at Nationals"
The secondary school golf nationals at Manukorihi Golf Club in New Plymouth provided an outstanding experience and challenge for our golfers in windy conditions, and we are immensely proud of their achievements. Golf often takes a backseat to other sports at our school, but this year, our team truly made its mark on the national stage. Competing against the country's best, our JMC lads proved they could hold their own, and with a bit of luck from the golfing gods, they might even take home the national title in the next year or two.
Connor Howes and Harvey O'Neill led the charge with impressive performances on day one, despite the challenging winds and tight tree lined course. Harvey finished at level par, while Connor was just one over par, putting JMC in a strong position, tied for 3rd going into the final round. Connor showed incredible mental resilience, recovering from a tough start after a bogey and an out-of-bounds on the second tee left him three over par after two holes. He fought back valiantly, though he was disappointed to bogey the final par 5 and finish one over after his hard work. Harvey also played solidly, but a seemingly perfect approach shot was intercepted by a "hungry" Norfolk pine, resulting in a double bogey. Despite this setback, he kept his composure and completed his par round. Lachie Davies, the third member of our team and a rising star, also managed to recover from a rough start to finish with a respectable score in the low 80s.
Heading into round two, the team was confident about achieving their top-5 goal. However, the early morning dew and windy conditions added pressure, and once again, the golfing gods seemed to be against us. Connor’s second tee shot was swallowed by another Norfolk pine, while Harvey’s shot went out of bounds on a downwind par 3. This time, the lads struggled to maintain their earlier form, and the scores crept up, ultimately placing us 9th overall. While this was an improvement from last year's performance, the team felt a bit disappointed, knowing they had the potential to do even better.
Special thanks to our support crew, including Wal O'Neill, Brent Davies, and Kris Howes, who provided tremendous support, especially with ball-spotting on the tight, tree-lined course. Their efforts helped keep our spirits high and contributed greatly to the overall team effort.
Later in the week, Connor Howes, Harvey O'Neill, and Lachie Davies took on the NZU19 Golf Championships at the challenging New Plymouth Golf Club, Ngāmotu. Connor once again demonstrated his talent over the three rounds, finishing 9th in a highly competitive field on a tough, windy course. Harvey had a difficult first round, missing the cut, but his remarkable comeback in round two, shooting par, showed his resilience. Lachie played consistent golf over two rounds but also missed the cut: but gain invaluable experience for the next two years he has left at school. This week proved to be a valuable learning experience for the team, showing that they’re closing in on the upper ranks of national golf. With a bit more luck and perseverance, the top spots are within reach.