Eight New Zealand amateur golfers and two Australian amateur golfers will play the ISPS Handa NZ Women’s Open hosted by Christchurch from January 31 to February 2 at the Clearwater Golf Club.
The New Zealanders to book their place in the National Open are Julianne Alvarez, Chantelle Cassidy, Lita Guo, Munchin Keh, Hanna Seifert, Wenyung Keh and Sai Ma.
The NZ Maori Champion, which will be contested in January, will join them at Clearwater as they look to follow in the footsteps of defending champion World No.4 Lydia Ko.
Wellington’s Alvarez earned her place by winning the NZ Amateur Championship and Waikato’s Cassidy qualified through winning the NZ Stroke Play Championship.
Munchin Keh, Seifert and Lita Guo all qualified as the next three leading players on the NZ Golf Order of Merit, Wenyung Keh and Sai Ma were offered the remaining two amateur invites by the NZ Women’s Open Championship subcommittee.
The two Australian golfers are still to be confirmed but a minimum of 10 golfers will contest the Bessie Fullerton-Smith trophy for leading amateur in the championship.
Gregg Thorpe, the New Zealand High Performance Manager, believed that the tournament provides the country’s leading amateurs a rare opportunity to play in a professional event.
“The chance to play alongside their heroes, contesting for the New Zealand Open trophy, is an opportunity few players get,” he said.
“For these young women it’s the time to measure themselves against an international field of professionals and to see where they sit along their respective development pathways. But most importantly is a time to be inspired by being a part of such an event and participating at this level. For some it will clarify their goals and harden their resolve to reach them.”
There will be an additional six places available at the Final Qualifying event on Tuesday January 28 at the Russley Golf Club.
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