Michael Moore is sort of a walking cliche - a little Aussie battler.
The young man from Yarra Yarra, about 20km from the Melbourne city centre, turned 24 a week ago and is preparing to play in his first New Zealand Open.
Moore is also in his debut professional season, having played through the Australasian Tour qualifying school and left the amateur ranks behind in December.
"I thought it was time to get out there and see how I went as a professional," Moore said. "I love travelling and I just love playing golf. It's pretty exciting and I'm enjoying it so far."
Golf can be a brutal game at the top level, and Moore is finding that out the hard way.
He tied for 142nd (8 over par) at the Moonah Classic two weeks ago and then tied for 150th (11 over) at the New Zealand PGA at Clearwater. Needless to say, he missed the cut both times, as he did in his debut tournament at the Johnnie Walker Classic, won by New Zealand amateur Danny Lee.
"It's been tough but to get a start in the Johnnie Walker Classic was mint, mate. That was just a whole new experience.
"I'm obviously still searching for my first cut. I've made a few swing changes the last couple of weeks and I'm just trying to find that groove."
This is Moore's second visit to New Zealand but his first experience of Arrowtown and The Hills.
He was a late starter, only taking up golf when he was 15.
Tennis was his first love. He was a nationally-ranked junior player and has been a professional coach for the past six years.
"I just got the stage where I'd had enough of tennis and wanted to give golf a real good crack.
"It's not a bad life, especially when you're single and you can just cruise off to a country to play golf and then go home again."
Moore doesn't have much else on his calendar for the rest of the year.
He'll play in a few pro-ams and then hope to push on in his second season on the Australasian Tour.
"These events are pretty important for me," he said of the New Zealand Open.
"It's a massive stepping stone to play on the Nationwide Tour. I'd like to go to Asia and see how far down that road I can get."
Moore is the freshest face in the group of Australians gathered at The Hills.
There are veterans like Peter Senior and Craig Parry and Peter Fowler to look up to and Moore said he felt no intimidation at rubbing shoulders with some of his country's great players.
"Most of the guys are pretty nice sort of blokes. It's a welcoming community."
