"Golf is Easy" New Zealand Autistic Boy Wins Championship Just 2 Weeks After Picking Up the Club

12-Year-Old Autistic Boy Who Started Golf Thanks to Assistant Teacher
"Wanted to Join the Tournament but Got 1st Place... It Was Fun" Review

A teenage boy with autism in New Zealand won his first-ever golf tournament just two weeks after picking up a golf club.

According to local media such as Stuff and the NZ Herald on the 13th (local time), Bailey Teepa-Tarau (12), who lives in a small town in the Bay of Plenty region on New Zealand's North Island, won the 9-hole golf event at the annual nationwide intermediate school competition, the Zespri AIMS Games, held in Tauranga.

Bailey Teepa-Tarau and assistant golf coach Fetu Wiremu.
[Image source=Stuff site]

Bailey played only three rounds in total to win the tournament. Jamie Trouton, an official of the competition, explained, "Bailey finished three rounds with an impressive Stableford score of 87, thanks to his unwavering driver skills." Bailey achieved this feat just two weeks after holding a golf club for the first time.

Bailey, who has autism, did not like sports much just a few years ago. He rarely spoke during school classes and sometimes spent time under his desk. However, Fet? Wiremu, his teaching assistant and golf coach who supports him at school, has worked over the past two years to help Bailey develop an interest in sports.

Fet? said, "Bailey did not talk to anyone," adding, "I have done a lot with Bailey over the past few years to get him hooked on sports."

He continued, "I saw Bailey always playing around swinging sticks at school, so I decided to try golf with him. We started practicing two weeks before the tournament with golf clubs borrowed from a friend," he said.

Bailey Teeapa-Tarau. [Image source=Stuff site]

After winning the tournament, Bailey told reporters, "I had a dream to participate in the competition, and I came in first place. It was really fun." He also said, "My favorite thing in golf is hitting the driver."

In response, Fet? said, "Winning the medal is just a bonus; the biggest victory is that he gained confidence to socialize with other kids and started speaking."

Bailey's father also expressed pride in his son's victory, saying, "I am very proud and surprised to see Bailey, who has autism, doing so well." He added, "Bailey does not get very upset even when he hits the ball poorly. He loves hitting the ball, so he doesn't worry much about mistakes."

Following the news of Bailey's victory, a local construction company offered to buy him golf clubs. Additionally, the New Zealand Golf Association is reportedly contacting Bailey's school to explore ways to support him further.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.