News
8 February, 2025
Junior golfer strikes for the stars across the ditch
Kilcoy junior golfer, Ryder Cochran, has just had a month of a lifetime in New Zealand, playing in two international tournaments placing second and third.
Ryder was selected to play at the Future Champion Golf (FCG) North Island New Zealand Open from Sunday, January 5 to Tuesday, January 7 at Windross Farm, and placed second in the 9 to ten year old division.
The 10-year-old golfer played against eight competitors in the FCG. He then played at a few world class courses including Te Arai Links and Kauri Cliffs, in between tournaments.
Ryder was then primed and ready to play in his second representative tournament, the World Stars of Junior Golf also at Windross and placed third.
He faced up against 16 golfers at the World Stars competition, and on his second day, Ryder shot the lowest round of the whole tournament. Ryder was also the only Australian to participate at either tournaments.
His mum, Julie Eaddy, said Ryder picked up many lessons while playing golf overseas.
“It was very windy and we don’t usually experience that level of wind in Australia, so learning to play in those conditions was a challenge,” she said.
“Playing golf for three days in one tournament, and then two in the next, so keeping that power for multiple days too.
“It also gets late a lot later in New Zealand, like around 9:30pm, so the tournaments start a lot later compared to here.”
Ryder’s journey in golf started when he followed in his father’s footsteps when he was just a toddler.
“His dad used to play golf more often, and Ryder would pick up his clubs and try to play with them,” Julie said.
“So we decided to buy him one of those plastic golf sets from Kmart and he would be in his nappies hitting the ball around.
“Then we got him a little set cut down, he’s always been playing with golf balls and if not them, he’d be playing with tennis balls.”
Julie said she thinks what Ryder enjoys most about the sport is perfecting his form.
“I guess it would be mostly his ball striking, and progressing and improving his skills, he knows when he’s hitting it well,” she said.
Ryder is a member of the Kilcoy and Woodford Golf Clubs.
