9-year-old to take on world's best juniors
She jetted off yesterday — with her parents and her coach, Dunedin professional Shelley Duncan — to play at the world's biggest junior invitational tournament, the Champion of Champions, in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, from July 29-31.
The Columba College pupil booked her spot in the under-9 division at the tournament, featuring 250 junior golfers from 40 countries, after finishing runner-up at an event in Australia last year.
She is believed to be the only New Zealand golfer heading to Ireland.
"I feel very excited and nervous," Joanna said.
"I'm looking forward to the tournaments. I'll just try my best, one shot at a time."
Joanna Ke and coach Shelley Duncan put in the hard yards on the practice fairway at Balmacewen. PHOTO: GERARD O'BRIEN
The journey does not stop there, though.
They will then head to St Andrews — the Scottish resort known as the "home of golf" — where Joanna, who will turn 10 while in Northern Ireland, will play in the St Andrews Junior Ladies' Open next month.
It will be a full-circle moment for her coach.
Duncan and Joanna get to play a round at the prestigious old course with former Otago Golf Club members Dylan Stock and Henry Hodgson, who have been caddying overseas.
"It's quite cool for me," Duncan said.
"I taught both of them how to play golf and now Joanna and I are going to play golf with them on the other side of the world at St Andrews."
Joanna was born in China. Her family moved to New Zealand a couple of years ago, and landed in Dunedin in April 2023, when her mother contacted Duncan about coaching her daughter.
"I had an expectation I was meeting a 13- or 14-year-old ... I looked down at the practice fairway and here's this little 7-year-old dot," Duncan recalled.
Joanna, who plays off a 12.9 handicap, first picked up the clubs at the age of 3 and had been working hard with Duncan over the past two years.
"Jaw-dropping, from time to time," Duncan said when describing Joanna's skills.
"She hits some shots and I'm like, 'How on earth did you just do that?'.
"We've worked really hard on keeping it fun. When she's a chatterbox, and she's talking to me, she plays much better golf."
And has Joanna enjoyed working with the renowned Dunedin coach?
"Yes — of course!" Joanna exclaimed.
kayla.hodge@odt.co.nz
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