A nine-year-old Samoan girl based in Wellington New Zealand will be playing in America for the International Management Group (I.M.G.) Junior World Golf Championships and World Stars.

To'aiva Fa'afia is from the village of Moamoa. Her family moved to New Zealand 20 years ago.

The nine-year-old came to Samoa to compete in the Samoa Juniors Golf Championship last Friday held at the Royal Samoa Golf Course, Fagalii representing Wellington Samoa Golf Academy.

She will also be playing at the Invest Samoa Open 2019 on Tuesday and is in the country with her father and sister Victoria Faafia.

“This is the first time I have competed in Samoa, playing here is quite different compared to New Zealand, not only that it is very hot but it was a bit rough and there were a lot of trees.

“It was nice playing with other people that came from various countries, I am definitely coming back to Samoa, we are very thankful to our sponsors like Apia Concrete Products.

“I like golf because you can travel everywhere and earn a lot of money when you’re a professional golf player which is what I would love to be in the future,” she said.

Speaking to the Samoa Observer she said that there was open golf tournament in Queenstown where players from 9-17 can qualify to go play golf in America.

“I got chosen to be one of the 11 get chosen to go to America going to the International Management Group (I.M.G.) Junior World Golf Championships in Santiago and World Stars in Las Vegas, these events are in the coming months.

“I would be in America for four weeks and in terms of balancing my education and golf, I will be taking some homework on the trip.

“I feel happy and so grateful for this opportunity that I have been given,” she added.

Father of the young golfer, Joseph Faafia expressed how proud he was for his daughter’s achievement.

 “Every day I take my two daughters to the golf course after work and I feel that all her hard work was worth it.