Good golfing prospects in Noumea

Team Cook Islands golfers played their first round of 18 holes yesterday with a mixed bag of results carded.

The team of 4 men and 4 women have 3 more days of golf to play under a blazing New Caledonia sun.

In total the team will play 72 holes in the gross competition played off the stick (no handicap) on what has been described as a fast and undulating course.

The 4 -ay competition is both a team and individual tournament.

The Cook Islands boasts the top open men and women players in the Pacific in 16-year-old Elmay Viking and 23-year-old Kirk Tuaati both products of the Aitutaki Golf Club.

At the end of each days game the top three scores are pooled for an overall team score and the lowest score at the end of the tournament will win the gold.

Cook Islands Golf Association president Cris Foster is very confident the team will walk away with a medal.

Our team is the top in the Pacific and we are here to retain our championships title we won in 2009 at the Mini Games, says Foster.

An added bonus for the team on the first day was Prime Minister Henry Puna swapping his suit and tie for a cap and polo shirt to be Royale Brogans caddie.

Despite the high powered caddie, Brogan carded 82 on the par 72 course.

Viking was the last of the Cook Islands team to tee off and after paring the first hole the youngster confidently marched on with father and manager Tereapii Viking in tow as caddie.