Waisiki Lomalagi

Waisiki – Consultation Summary Waisiki met with Pamela Saville from Platform Sports, alongside his mother Amelia, to discuss a potential U.S. college golf pathway. Waisiki is currently based in Christchurch, is in Year 13, and plays at Waimairi Beach Golf Club. He only began taking golf seriously relatively recently, having started playing last year and significantly increasing his commitment since arriving in New Zealand in February. He currently plays off approximately a 16 handicap and is training consistently, including regular coaching sessions around three times per week. The discussion focused heavily on what Waisiki needs to achieve over the next 10–12 months to become a stronger U.S. college golf prospect. Pamela explained that college coaches will care more about his tournament scoring average and competitive history than his handicap, meaning the immediate priority is to start playing as many recognised tournaments, pennants and competitive events as possible. Platform Sports would work alongside his current golf coach to create a development and tournament plan, while also reviewing his academics and ensuring he remains on track for U.S. college eligibility. The preferred target is a July/August 2027 U.S. college intake, giving Waisiki additional time to develop his game and build a meaningful tournament record. The goal would be to move his tournament average into the mid-to-high 70s, which would significantly strengthen his recruiting position. If he can progress toward approximately 72–73, much stronger scholarship opportunities could potentially become available. Depending on his development, Waisiki should remain open-minded regarding the different U.S. college pathways, including potentially beginning at a two-year college before transferring into a four-year program. From a college budget perspective, the family should initially work around approximately USD $15,000–$25,000 per year after scholarship, depending on Waisiki’s eventual tournament average, academics, college level and the offers available. If he can reach the mid-70s, the target would be closer to approximately USD $15,000 per year, while higher-70s scoring could result in a contribution around USD $20,000+ per year. These are planning estimates rather than guaranteed scholarship figures, with the ultimate objective being to reduce the family contribution as Waisiki improves. Academically, Waisiki is completing Year 13 and has an interest in areas such as construction, building management and surveying. His mother, Amelia, emphasised that the family wants him to continue progressing academically while pursuing golf, giving him both a sporting and career pathway. Platform Sports would therefore target colleges that can provide the appropriate academic program alongside a strong golf environment. The next step is for Platform Sports to send Amelia the agreement and obtain Waisiki’s direct email address. Once the agreement and payment are completed, the intention is to fast-track his onboarding. Waisiki would complete his athlete profile, provide academic records and golf footage, meet with the academic/support team, and begin building his recruiting profile. Due to the shorter timeframe, the support and placement teams would work with him concurrently, while Pamela would also connect with his golf coach to establish a tournament schedule and clear performance targets ahead of the 2027 recruitment period.