SEVENTEEN-year-old Ufemia Naisara (pictured) scooped the Waidamdam Trophy after winning the Fiji Golf Club (FGC) junior tournament at the Vatuwaqa golf course yesterday.
The Form Six student of Mahatma Gandhi Memorial High School scored 169 total gross to beat Jiujiua Leca in a close contest.
Leca, who was the leader of the tournament in the opening day of the competition on Wednesday, fell short by a shot after scoring 170 gross points.
Vijeshwar Dutt, a Form Five student of MGM, scored 177 points to finish third in the tournament sponsored by former Queen Victoria School students, who gave a total sponsorship of $2000.
Ufemia, who is from Wailevu, Tunuloa in Cakaudrove, said she got inspired to take up the sport from her grandmother and former national rep Tuli Naisara.
"I look up to her and have learnt a lot of golfing skills from her," Ufemia said.
Ufemia says playing against boys gives her the challenge to overcome the barrier to stand shoulder-to-shoulder along with the opposite sex.
FGC junior golf coordinator Veramu Rokotavaga was impressed with the improvement shown by the young golfers. He said the FGC would organise a weekly event for the under-17 golfers to facilitate with the young golfers program.
"We want to thank the parents for sending their kids to be part of the program and also the sponsors for helping us with the development of golf."