Hard work pays off for Tauranga Members


Tania Ellis has proven hard work pays off after the teen golfer claimed her first big tournament win at the weekend. 

The Tauranga Golf Club member won the title of the Cambridge Classic women’s division at the weekend with a total score of 294 (+6).
The 16-year-old was four shots back going into the final 36 holes and fired a 3-under-par round of 69 to jump into contention. Her final round of 75 was good enough to win by 2 over Juwon Kim and Rebekah Blackwell-Chin.

Ellis said it felt “really good” to have won her first district tournament.

“It is really nice to know I am capable of it.

“I just managed to put everything together. My attitude towards the game was pretty good. I was a little bit nervous as you would be.”

Coming off the 18th green, Ellis said she wasn’t sure if she had won or not.

“I had to make sure the numbers were there before I got too excited.”

She said her mum and dad, Sheree and Tristan, were waiting by the phone all day to see how she had done.
Leading up to the tournament, Ellis said she had practiced as much as she could while juggling study for her school exams.
“It is a confidence boost going into future tournaments. Hard work pays off.”

Ellis thanked her parents and her coaches Jay Carter and Hayden Beard at The Clubroom Tauranga for their support.
Meanwhile, Tauranga Golf Club member Nathan Clark took out the men’s division in the Cambridge Classic.

Fresh from playing tournaments across the ditch, the 18-year-old said he felt “happy” with the win.

Clark finished the tournament with a total score of 284 (-4), which was six shots clear of fellow Tauranga Golf Club member Mitch Kale.

Clark thanked his coach Jay Carter, the Thursday Ball in the Bucket Tauranga club members, Bridgestone Golf, and his parents Mark and Michelle.