Outstanding Golfing Achievements

Posted on August 02, 2016

The key focus of golf at Macleans College this year has been building the depth in the group.

From a small squad of seven players last year, the size has grown to 25 competitive players who have represented the school this year. On top of that we have worked with Howick Golf Club to introduce a Learn to Play programme to encourage new people into the sport and currently have another 17 students who are totally new to the sport and having fun learning new skills.

All of the local intermediate schools were invited to be part of the programme and to compete in the Junior Twilight series run at the end of last year.

This is all managed carefully so that it fits in the Macleans College ethos of maintaining rigorous academic standards whilst still ensuring that our students are encouraged to develop and grow outside of this core aspect of their education (there is an expectation that students get involved in the co-curricular life of the school) . This is evidenced by the fact that our current No.1 golfer Jimmy Zheng (Hillary House) is also in an advanced academic class and excelling at maintaining a true balance between being an elite sportsman and elite academic.

Golf
Left: Connor Barker, Ryan Cook, Jerry Song, Jimmy Zheng

Results

School

  • Team: Finished 2nd in the Auckland Teams Championship losing out narrowly to St Kentigern
  • Individual: Auckland Schools Strokeplay Championships<br>- Jimmy Zheng 3rd<br>- Rose Zheng (Mansfield) 2nd

Outside of school

  • Jimmy Zheng
    Member of NZ US Kids team that defeated Australia in Sydney, winning his games comfortably.
    Winner of the Lydia Age Group championships resulting in a fully paid one month scholarship to The Hills Golf Academy (Australia and spiritual home of Jason Day World Golf No.1).
    Selected to represent NZ in the US Kids World championships at the world famous Pinehurst course.
  • Rose Zheng
    Winner of the Lydia Age Group championships resulting in a fully paid one month scholarship to The Hills Golf Academy (Australia and spiritual home of Jason Day World Golf No.1).
  • With current Golf Captain Ryan Cook (Te Kanawa) taking a break from representative golf this year the mantle has been well and truly passed on to the next group of Jimmy Zheng, Connor Barker (Mansfield) and Jerry Song (Te Kanawa) who have continued last year’s good form to once again be selected to represent Auckland.