Cooper Moore: Golf NZ Academy Member on his success at the Australian Junior Boys Amateur Championship

Ranked number 275 in the world, Golf New Zealand Academy member Cooper Moore triumphed in a three-hole playoff to win the Australian Junior Boys Amateur Championship last week to continue what has been a remarkable summer to date. 

Moore spoke with Nick Bewley about his blockbuster summer inside the ropes, in association with The Elmwood Trading Company. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Twenty five to nine here on the category All Sports Breakfast. Well,
a young man who's very much on their eyes in
the sport of golf is Canterbury teenager Cooper Moore and
he's been kind enough.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
To join us here on the program this morning. Good
morning to you, Cooper, Good morning.

Speaker 3 (00:18):
How are we? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Very well, thank you. I hope you're well as well.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Look, it's been a massive few months for you already
in twenty twenty five. Our our regular listeners here on
the show will be certainly familiar with your name. But
how has the summer been, as you reflect back on
you've been here, there and everywhere.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah, yes, it's been very good. I guess the sort
of golfing I guess summer started for me back in
October and Japan for the Asia Pacific where I finished
eighth at that, which was my first time playing there.
And it's arguably probably the biggest amateur tournament you could
play in the Asia Pacific region due to the like

(00:58):
invites you yet for winning too few whin you yet
spots and the Masters and the British Open, So I
guess that's pretty cool. And then I guess from there
I went to the New Jealn Amateur, which I won,
which was probably Yeah, I still would be up there
with the biggest win date in New Zealand, i'd say.
And then I guess went to Ossie for a couple
of weeks in January for the Ossie Mass than Ossi Am,

(01:21):
and I played pretty well at those. I got eighth
at Mass of them, in fourth at Ossie Am. And
then I guess came back here and played likes a
Kenry Show, play a few of the club opens, and yeah,
like I guess, last couple of weeks played Ossie Junior
and in South Island on nine teams. So it's been
pretty busy most weeks, most most weekends, I guess.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, busy indeed.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
And you missed in the mix there Cooper, the your
DABA at the New Zealand Open as well down at Millbrook.
Just talk us through that experience. I remember chatting to
you a few weeks ago for our News about your
first time heading down there. You know, a tournament that
you've followed throughout the course of your young life. How
is that as an experience to be among or rubbing

(02:05):
shoulders with some of New Zealand's elite players.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
Yeah, that was pretty cool. I guess it was definitely
was almost better than what I expected. I guess been
down there in the atmosphere and then I yes, just
playing amongst all the good golfers. I guess out the
end of the world was pretty cool.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
Coop for them all with us here on our golf
segment and association with the Elmwood Trading Company. And I
want to get to your most one of your most
recent tournaments last weekend across the Tasman in Brisbane. I'll
set the scene and then you can pick it up
if you like, Cooper. It's the Australian Junior Amateur Championships.
You're tied for the lead, you go to a playoff.

(02:43):
The playoff you're still unable to be separated as you
head to the third playoff hole, and then you find
the sand. Talk us through how your mind is at
that point in time, and then what happens next.

Speaker 3 (02:58):
Yeah, I guess when I went back for that third time,
I was done to get like I just wanted to
get over and done with. And then I took five
iron off the tea every time, and I didn't have
a great t shot put in the right raft. And
then I didn't hit a great approach shot in with
my forty eighth degree so and ended up shortening the bunker.

(03:19):
I was short sided and had probably one of the
hardest shots I could possibly give myself on that whole
it was downhill. Yeah, yeah, I just don't want to
be there in the first place. And then I guess
I visualized shot perfectly and landed exactly where I visualized,
which was quite nice. And then I guess it just
landed pretty soft and trickled down into the hole, And yeah,

(03:41):
it was pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Pretty cool.

Speaker 1 (03:43):
Indeed, would that be the best shot you've ever hit
given the circumstances.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah, in the moment, yes, it would be probably the
best shot I've ever hit.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yeah, incredible.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
Definitely have a look at that over on the Canterbury
Gulf social media in Cooper's social media over on Instagram.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
Where does that.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
Poise and temperaments come from? Do you think have you
always been someone that has been able to, I guess,
compartmentalize and not to overthink those moments.

Speaker 2 (04:12):
It's very much just play the ball as it lies.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
Yeah, pretty much. I try, I says to a lot
of people, But I just try to keep pretty basic
se well, well almost just I feel like sometimes if
I overcomplicate things, I sort of get lost in my
own way. And yeah, so it's quite nice. I just
strike keep as simple as possible.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
And you know, some of our listeners out there will
be wondering cooper.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
As you mentioned, almost every or most weekends, you're playing tournaments,
and of course you're probably fitting in some practice time
as well on the on the practice greens and the
driving range and such. But year twelve, at some beads,
how do you split the time between what's obviously an
important time and your education and obviously you're golfing.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, yes, like same Beads have been amazing with the
support they've given me. Helped like that helped me balance
my school and golf schedule. I guess which has been
nicer over the last probably last three weeks of the
school term. I went to an individual education plan, which
is slight. I do different classes to some other students

(05:16):
at the school, but it helps me get the credits
I need to pass the year, but also meet the
college krikia, which also without affecting too much golfing time
and schedule tournaments, so very helpful.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
Indeed, fantastic.

Speaker 1 (05:30):
They're so flexible around that approach, so you can pursue
your talents in golf.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Just talk us through coopermore. What is ahead?

Speaker 1 (05:38):
Obviously we're in April, so the summer is pretty much
done here in these parts, but you got some local
tournaments on the horizon. What does the next few months
look like for you?

Speaker 3 (05:50):
I yes, towards the end of May, I'll go over
to Hong Kong for the Asia Pacific Junior so they'll
be pretty cool. And then in Japan in June, I'll
go to Japan for the Twiyo to Junior World Cup,
which will be my second time there. I win twenty
twenty three, so they'll be good to go back there
and test myself, and I guess hopefully if I get
selected and are used to have the key Weich, hopefully

(06:11):
we can hopefully come away with a win there and
put a good performance up. And then I guess in July,
I'll head over to America for the US Junior Am,
which will be pretty cool. Haven't played in America since
twenty eighteen, and I guess it's probably the biggest dream
tournent you can play, so I guess it'd be pretty
cool to go test myself and see sort of where
I'm at.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
Super exciting.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
Just finally, Cooper, speaking of the United States, I'm sure
you would have been glued to the Masters coverage on Monday.
Rory McElroy speaking of playoffs getting it done with Justin Rose.

Speaker 2 (06:41):
That was a great watch, wasn't it.

Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yes, Yeah, it was good. There was a few of
US boys out at during a golf club on Monday
watching it while we were having our practice round, which
was pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (06:52):
Fantastic. Oh, I'll coop them well.

Speaker 1 (06:54):
Really appreciate your time as always here on the Canterbury
All Sports Breakfast very much. Looking forward to seeing where
golfing career takes you next, and no doubt we'll be
there to follow and catch up again soon.

Speaker 3 (07:06):
Perfect.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
Thanks for more from News Talks ed B. Listen live
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