Going backwards to move ford – Jayden Ford

Jayden Ford (Silverstream) pictured left at the APGC Junior Championship in Japan.

“I’ve been in contention to win a few times, but lost my routine.  There’s been some important learnings since the Junior British Open,” Jayden Ford concedes when reflecting on his form in the past 14 months.

In July 2018, Ford was third at one of the world’s most prestigious junior events at St Andrew’s, Scotland.

What followed was a slight dip in form.

“I was second in a tournament in Auckland over Anniversary weekend. I could have won in the Waikato too, but I started thinking of the high position. At the Open, I didn’t expect to finish as high as I did. Not overthinking was key in my success,” Ford reveals.

New surroundings often provide a chance to clear the head and an Asia-Pacfic team’s event at the Hakone Country Club near Mount Fuji, Japan provided further learning.

In an event featuring 40 countries, New Zealand was 13th.

“It was supposed to be a three round tournament, but a massive cyclone made it two rounds. At altitude the ball travels further which was a challenge.  We played quite well against tough opposition.” Ford reflects.
Re-energized, Ford won the recent 54-hole New Zealand Under-17 championship in Cromwell and finish second in the Under 19 field.

Ford won the Under 17 division by four shots while a bogey on the second playoff hole of the Under 19 section against Southland’s Liam Stewart cost him victory.

Ford finished two under par in the whole tournament, one of only half a dozen players in the field of 100 to do so.

“It was a good weekend because my focus wasn’t all results based.  I had a few things I wanted to work on and was really happy with the way they went.  I made a mistake on the playoff hole, but that’s golf.  Liam deserved his win.  He’s a great player,” Ford reflected.

Ford’s triumph wasn’t the only positive for Wellington golf recently.  Chilton St James were fourth at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships on September 2nd in the Cromwell cold.

Additionally Darae Chung won the New Zealand Age Group Championship at Millbrook Resort, Arrowtown. Chung shot -10 in winning her maiden national title by a single stroke. He scores in each round were: 69 (-3), 65 (-7) and 72 (even).
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The next major event for Wellington’s leading juniors is the Inter-provincial Championships in Cambridge starting on September 30.