2023 HAS SEEN A RE-NEWED CONCENTRATION ON THE STANDARDS AND LEVELS OF JUNIOR GOLFERS IN THE PROVINCE. WITH THE NEWLY APPOINTED KZN JUNIOR GOLF CO-ORDINATOR NEIL BENNETT AND THE KZN UNDER 19 IPT MANAGER SANDILE MSIMANGO (PGA PROFESSIONAL) ON A MISSION OF IMPROVEMENT, THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PROFESSIONALLY ADMINISTERED JUNIOR TOURNAMENTS AVAILABLE TOGETHER WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE WELL ESTABLISHED McKENNA PERFORMANCE GOLF ACADEMY BASED AT UMHLALI COUNTRY CLUB. THE McKENNA ACADEMY WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WELL OVER A DECADE OVER AND HAS HAD A VERY SUCCESFUL PROGRAMME RUNNING OUT OF SILVER LAKES C.C. IN PRETORIA FOR MANY YEARS. 2023 WILL SEE THE INAUGURAL “KZN JUNIOR CHALLENGE CUP” BEING STAGED AT ROYAL DURBAN GOLF CLUB OVER THE WEEKE-END OF SUNDAY, 24^TH AND MONDAY 25^TH SEPTEMBER. THIS IS IN ESSENCE A TRIALS FOR SELECTION TO THE KZN UNDER 19 INTER-PROVINCIAL TEAM TO REPRESENT THE PROVINCE AT THE SA JUNIOR INTER-PROVINCIAL BEING HELD AT CENTURION GOLF CLUB IN PRETORIA IN DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR. THE CHALLENGE WILL BE BASED ON THE RYDER CUP FORMAT OF FOURSOMES, FOURBALLS AND SINGLES ON CONSECUTIVE DAYS IN TWO TEAMS OF EIGHT PLAYERS SELECTED FROM THE CURRENT KZN JUNIOR TOURNAMENT PLAYERS RANKINGS AND WILL HOPEFULLY PREPARE THE TEAM FOR THE RIGOURS OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF MATCHPLAY AGAINST THE BEST TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY.