Brian Taikiri Story Thus Far

Brian's story to date is an inspiration to us all. But watch this space as there will be much more to add over the coming years.

They say ‘life is a journey’! Well, how about the journey so far for Brian Taikiri, 15 years old from Port Moresby Golf Club, Papua New Guinea. Brian had become interested in golf and was displaying some ability but there was no adequate coaching available in Port Moresby at the time. The Ladies Champion at the club, Margaret McKinley, had been to Australian Golf Schools years ago when she first started to play and suggested to Brian’s parents that they send him down to us. The family has been down twice a year since then and Brian has steadily improved down to a handicap of 4. The first step in the journey was getting a shy little Papuan boy to understand the golfing fundamentals we wanted him to remember for the rest of his life. Teaching him about bunker play when there were no bunkers at Port Moresby was fun and his skill from the sand remains a good measure of his talent. After his first time with us we knew he was going well because the monthly reports showed the handicap steadily coming down. Brian arrived back for the July 2009 school holidays, playing off of 8. After a week’s coaching he started playing the Junior tournaments run as qualifiers for the Greg Norman Junior Masters. A victory in his age group at Horton Park qualified him for the final at Coolangatta-Tweed Golf Club in December. More frequent flyer points! The Greg Norman Junior Masters attracts elite juniors from all over the Asia Pacific Region and gives them a taste of what a real tournament is like. The experience really made an impression on Brian and it showed him where he stood in relation to the best players in his age group. He went home equipped with a stronger work ethic and resolve. The next step in the journey of life for Brian has come in the form of an invitation from the R & A to compete in the World Junior Championship. Paul Lawrie, the Scot who lifted the Claret Jug at Carnoustie in 1999, will attend the opening ceremony of the 2010 Junior Open Championship to present players’ badges to each of the 128 competitors. This year the Championship has attracted the largest and most internationally diverse entry in the 16-year history of the event. 77 countries will be represented, with 18 nations, including Laos, Lithuania, Papua New Guinea and Uruguay, sending players for the first time. Later in the week Brian and the other competitors will be guests of the R&A for the first two rounds of the Open Championship and will be meeting a lot of the players. I wonder what will be the next chapter in Brian’s journey through life?