Date: March 17, 2017
Author: Spring Valley Golf Club

Twelve-year-old Tiana a club champ

Many golf club members have to wait a lifetime to win their first Club Championship title and some never even have the thrill of doing so.

So to reach the pinnacle of club golf at the tender young age of 12 seems near impossible for most to comprehend, but that certainly wasn't the case for Spring Valley Golf Club youngster Tiana Wanigasekera.

Tiana bucked the trend on Thursday as she took out the Women's Club Championship at Spring Valley Golf Club following a dominant final round. 

Tiana went into the final round of the 54-hole event tied with Club Captain Hayley Peters, but held her nerve best over the final 18 holes to register an impressive eight-shot triumph.

"I was a little bit nervous at the start," the quietly spoken Tiana said following her final round of 78. 

"But I kept the ball in play… It was great."

With her father Del keeping her focused throughout in his role as caddy, Tiana stayed composed during the final round to make 12 pars with just five bogeys on her card.

The highlight of the round came at the 16th when Tiana made a birdie and it wasn't until this point that she realised what she was about to do.

A bogey on the final hole did little to dampen Tiana's spirits, with a large group of Spring Valley members quick to congratulate the soon to be teenager on her achievement. 

It is unclear as to whether Tiana is the youngest ever winner of a Spring Valley Club Championship title, with Club historians currently trawling through record books to see where the feat ranks.

Needless to say, what Tiana was able to do is certainly an achievement that she should be proud of and that the Club is proud she was able to do.