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National

'Doyen' of Māori golf awarded Order of Merit

Photo / Tord Sollie / Creative Commons

Vic Pirihi, the renowned figure in Māori golf, has been honored with the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the King's Honours list for his exceptional contributions to the sport.

Pirihi, often referred to as the doyen of Māori golf, co-founded the Ngaki Tamariki Trust over three decades ago, providing financial assistance and support to elite Māori golfers.

Of Ngāpuhi-Ngātiwai, Patuharakeke descent, Pirihi co-launched the Māori Junior Golf Development Programme in the mid-1980s to grow the game at grassroots level.

He became central to the ascent of giants of the game like Michael Campbell and Phil Tataurangi.

A player himself, he remains ';the most prolific club champion' of the notorious Akarana golf club in Tāmaki Makaurau.

In recent years Pirihi has acknowledged momentum in the sport had leveled off since the early 2000s, due to intense competition from other sports and affordability constraints.

He remains a life member of the NZ Maori Golf Association which organises tournaments across the motu, and seeks to assist the next generation of Māori golfers with gear, airfares, and billets for national and international tournaments.

Public Interest Journalism