PNG Prime Minister James Marape has one-upped the US President Donald Trump on the golf course, at his national Open
Professional golfing tournaments around the world have been laced with dubious and truly bizarre invitations over history, but there's another to be added to the list: Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister playing in the country's national open on Thursday.
To most Australian sports fans, Marape is the man who stood alongside Anthony Albanese and Peter V'landys to announce PNG's dream of its own NRL franchise had been realised.
As part of the $600 million in funding from the Albanese government for the 19th licence, Marape promised his security pact would be tied to his neighbours in the Pacific, and not China.
Now, it also appears he fancies playing a bit of golf too.
If you scrolled down far enough on the leaderboard for the Papua New Guinea Open being played in Port Moresby this week, the first event of the PGA Tour of Australasia's new season, there was a name which stood out: Hn James Marape (a). The 'a' stood for amateur, in case you weren't sure.
But all you needed to do was look at his scorecard to realise why. Marape signed for a – how do we put this nicely? – 97. Twenty-five-over the card! He had a couple of pars, but there were also eight bogeys, seven doubles and a nasty triple. At least, and any average hacker will attest to this feat, he managed to scrape in under 100.
Before you jump up and down about how a PM has shoehorned his way into a professional tournament, a couple of things to consider: Marape actually played in the tournament before in 2023 (missing the cut); he's using his profile to preach the opportunity his country is trying to give local players, including the weekend's PNG Women's Open; the field wasn't filled so every professional who entered the tournament was given a start; and there's already 20 local amateurs featuring in the event, so ample opportunity for some of the country's emerging talent.
Then came the tournament invitation for Marape, who one-upped The Don by at least playing in an event for world rankings points.
'I just want to inform the country, this is our 50th (anniversary as a nation), and for the first time we've gone past a hundred professional golfers in our country,' Marape beamed after his round on Thursday, presumably not heading straight to the range to work on his swing.
'(There's) 120, including seven female professionals who are coming in, participating on Saturday and Sunday. It's a step in the right direction.
'Sport does sell our country's image. Sport does inform the world who we are. And here you have professional golfers coming from right across the world to come in to play in Port Moresby.
'This morning, I was privileged that they gave me a run with last year's winner, William (Bruyeres), and they're all in the running for whoever comes out top on Sunday.'
Said tournament director Graeme Scott: 'I believe there are discussions currently underway as to how the PGA of Australia can assist in the development of young players because it's very much our goal to have your aspiring professionals and young players coming to play on our Tour.
'I know in speaking to my own colleagues this morning, that was a crucial thing that we were trying to develop with Papua New Guinea, is that we can see a pathway for these players to come.'
For the record, Victorian Joel Mitchell was the solo first round leader with a five-under 67 … just a lazy 30 shots ahead of a Prime Minister, who at least let's everyone watch him counting his score.
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