2018/19 NZ Golf Academy Named, Hillier and Mountcastle Included

National Academy Selected for 2018/19

New Zealand Golf is excited to announce the 2018/19 National Academy squad, which includes six new names who join a list of 10 players looking to take their careers to the next level.  

These players have been selected using the refreshed criteria of the recently published New Zealand Golf Selection Policy.

The incumbent members who have been reselected into the National Academy squad include Daniel Hillier (Manor Park), Luke Brown (The Pines), Mark Hutson (Muriwai) and Rose Zheng (Pakuranga). 

The newly selected members are: Matt Mclean (Harewood), Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton), Kevin Koong (Muriwai), Juliana Hung (Russley), Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga) and Brittney Dryland (Titirangi).

At this phase of selection, players are separated into two distinct tiers. 

Tier Two is the gateway to the National Academy which is for players who have shown great potential but may still have some way to go before representing New Zealand at senior level or turning professional.  They have been identified as emerging talent but they will still have developmental gaps that need to be addressed while they strive to improve their on-course performance’s.

A Tier One player has addressed the majority of their developmental gaps.  While they are still on their skill mastery journey they have shown deep engagement in their programme and have a number of competitive performances that show evidence of this growing mastery. This evidence will likely include strong international performances.

For a guide to the levels of performance mastery, skills, standards and behaviours required to achieve selection into the National Academy, please click here.

The players below have been placed in the following tiers:

Tier One

Daniel Hillier

Tier Two

Juliana Hung, Brittney Dryland, Caryn Khoo, Rose Zheng, Luke Brown, Matt Mclean, Mark Hutson, Kerry Mountcastle, and Kevin Koong.

Nick Voke and Ryan Chisnall have now moved on into professional ranks which takes them to the next phase (Phase Four) of the Talent Development Programme, with both players receiving support as Rookie Professionals to assist them to establish themselves on a professional Tour. 

Your 2018/19 National Academy members are:
Juliana Hung (Russley), Brittney Dryland (Titirangi), Caryn Khoo (Pakuranga), Rose Zheng (Pakuranga), Daniel Hillier (Manor Park) Luke Brown (The Pines), Matt Mclean (Harewood), Mark Hutson (Muriwai), Kerry Mountcastle (Masterton), and Kevin Koong (Muriwai).