Matarangi Beach Paper

A full field of 112 golfers gathered at the Dune Golf Course this past weekend to raise over $40,000 of funds for local young golfer Ivan Adams who has been selected to travel to the United States and represent New Zealand this July.

Fourteen year old, Ivan is the top amateur player in his age group and is one of the hottest golfing prospects in the country. He is the son of Brad and Jo Adams who run the Bailey’s Motel in Whitianga. His proud grandfather is Earle Adams of Whangapoua, a Kaumatua of our local Iwi Ngati Huarere.

Ivan will compete in the IMG World Golf Championship in San Diego and two other international level junior golfing tournaments, the FCG Callaway Worlds in Palm Springs and the World Star Worlds in Las Vegas. For age group golf this is the majors. Raising the kind of money that is involved in sending Ivan and his Dad to the US was going to be no easy task for his parents, so the local golfing community stepped in with the idea of a fundraising tournament, held at the Dunes to help the family give Ivan the opportunity to represent New Zealand and indeed the Club on the World stage. Brad and Jo noted that without the incredible support they had in putting the fundraising tournament together the trip to the United States would likely not happen.

Brad said last week that if they could raise $20,000 for the trip that would have been fantastic. But with more than double that, they have simply been blown away. It now means that Mum Jo can also go and see Ivan play. Something she has not been able to do for the past two years. Someone has had to stay behind and run their motel business, on those weekends that Brad has to travel to tournaments. The Dunes owners generously donated the use of the full course facilities, including logistical back up to make the event happen. Brad says he greatly values the generosity of the Dunes and the input from Alan Dickinson and Jonathon Cope.

Also hugely involved in helping to get the whole event together was Dunes Club member Neil Purchase who assisted greatly in leading the organisation on the day with Gary Bancroft and Craig Batty. Neil also donated a signed 2015 All Blacks rugby jersey up for auction. Paul Broome and Brett Turner, the owners of Recreation Services Ltd generously offered financial assistance through their foundation to help get Ivan to America and another sizable donation towards Ivan’s trip has also been gratefully received from the Russell family who have had long time connections with Whangapoua. Ivan is really excited about going to the United States for the first time to play golf, and realises it will be a step up from an earlier trip two years ago to Australia.

Though he says he is not nervous. He just wants to get out there and do his best. Ivan says he recognises that it is a chance to measure his progress against the best players of his age group at the international level, competing against players like Charlie Woods, son of Tiger.