Golfing sisters Nikau and Arahina Black are set to take on the world after qualifying for the US Kids Golf World Championships.
Hailing from small town Ruatoki, Bay of Plenty, the junior golfers have risen to top of their age group in New Zealand to qualify for the event.
“Ko aku moemoeā kia tae rā anō ahau ki ngā taumata teitei ōrite ki a Lydia Ko (My dream is to reach the same level of playing as Lydia Ko),” said 8-year-old Nikau.
Younger sister Arahina, aged 7, is just as ambitious for the Pinehurst event: “Ka tiki ahau he hole-in-one i te wā ka patu ahau i taku driver (I want to get a hole-in-one when I hit with my driver).”
The resort venue is known as the ‘Cradle of American Golf’, and the annual event sees the top golfers from around the world, aged between 5 and 12-years-old, gather to play. Hundreds of junior players from across dozens of countries will attend with the schedule including a Parade of Nations, three rounds of championship play and a closing ceremony.
According to their givealittle.co.nz page, run by dad Ranui Black, the sisters first started swinging plastic golf clubs at the age of two. Now they are notching up top five placings in their first year of playing in tournaments despite having no formal coaching.
“Nā taku pāpā i ako i te nuinga o te wā, me te mātakitaki hoki i te YouTube (My dad teaches me most of the time, and I watch YouTube too),” said Arahina.
Te Karere joined them as they were kitted out with new golf gear and professionally fitted for clubs at Golf Warehouse ahead of their big trip to the States.
“E ono nga marama e whakarite ana māua ko Nikau mō tēnei haerenga nui (Nikau and I have been preparing for this trip for the past six months),” said Arahina.
“Ko aku taputapu noa iho hei whakarite (It’s just gear left to sort out).”
Mitchell Horne, a Golf Warehouse assistant store manager, said the two young golfers’ skill were “unreal” after watching clips of them playing. He said they have a “uniqueness” and “calmness” but with a little bit of sass.
“It’s all good being really good at golf, I think most of the stigma is that you’re very serious [with] your head down, but these girls just look like they’re just loving golf and it’s cool that they’re the top performing as well.”
The tournament will be held in Pinehurst, North Carolina at the end of this month.
