Bay golfing teen's year to remember
For many Hawke's Bay sports people 2020 has been a year of restricted or no play at all courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But promising Hawke's Bay golfer Zack Swanwick has made the most of every opportunity he has had to take to the fairways this year. Back in October the 14-year-old Taradale High School Year 10 student became the youngest winner of the Napier Golf Club's senior men's club championship title with a 4 and 3 victory over Te Cohney Whitehouse in the final.
The plus five handicapper, who captained Hawke's Bay to ninth place at the national under-19 inter-provincials in Cambridge in October had the No 5 berth in the Hawke's Bay senior team which finished third at last month's national inter-provincials hosted by Auckland's Whitford Park club.Despite this being his first senior inter-provincials, Swanwick, played in all seven of Hawke's Bay's fixtures and recorded four wins, a half and two losses.
Last week the son of former New Zealand Black Sox softball pitcher Vincent Swanwick finished second to Aucklander Joshua Bai at the national under-16 championship in Ngaruawahia. With a six-under par round of 66, five-under 67 and three-under 69 Swanwick finished 10 strokes behind Bai.
"I was pretty stoked with how I played in Ngaruawahia. Both Joshua and I will still be eligible for next year's under-16 nationals in Auckland. Hopefully I can get my revenge there," Swanwick said.
He pointed out coach Andrew Henare played a big part in his successful year.
"Counting sessions with Andrew and on my own I often trained for 20 hours each week this year," Swanwick explained.
"At the same time I want to keep improving every little aspect of my game. Sticking to the fairways is my main work on," Swanwick said.
Next month he will compete at the North Island under-16 tournament at Hamilton's St Andrew's club. His long-term goal is a United States golfing scholarship.
"It would be good to see how I go at that level," he added.
One of Swanwick's Hawke's Bay teammates, Cosmo Graham of the Hastings club, finished second in the under-19 grade at Ngaruawahia. This was a tremendous feat for Graham who returned to golf this year after a couple of years away from the code.
