Trans-Tasman Cup: NZ Golf names teams
27 Jan 2012
New Zealand Golf has named four strong teams looking for redemption at the Trans-Tasman Cup at the Peninsula Country Golf Club (North Course) in Melbourne from March 7 – 9.
The last time the trophy was contested back in 2010 the Australian team successfully defended their title winning by 31 – 17 in total from all four encounters.
While they didn’t claim the main prize one of the encouraging signs was the Junior Women, with Lydia Ko firing, claiming the Junior Tasman Cup for the first time.
New Zealand number one Ben Campbell is the most experienced player in the men’s squad and he will be joined by New Zealand Amateur champion Mathew Perry, Vaughan McCall and Blair Riordan.
Riordan from the Takaka Golf Club is rewarded for his consistent performances in 2011 and his recent good form in the Australian Amateur with his first start in a New Zealand senior men’s team.
Promising 17-year-old Auckland golfer Sam An will spearhead the Junior Boys challenge and he is joined by Ryan Chisnall, Tyler Hodge and the recent winner of the North Island Under 19s Compton Pikari.
Meantime in the women’s squad World Number One amateur Ko will lead the way and is joined by team-mates Emily Perry and Chantelle Cassidy while Waikato rep Sarah Bradley makes a return to international duty.
Bradley, who finished as the leading Kiwi recently at the Lake Macquarie Amateur, has earned her recall after returning from studying on a golfing scholarship in the States.
Wellington number one Julianne Alvarez, who made her international debut last year at the Astor Trophy, will lead the Junior Women’s team with team-mates Catherine Bell, Laura Hoskin and Wenyung Keh who won the North Island Under 19s and also went undefeated at last year’s Toro Women’s Interprovincial.
“All of the players are not only looking to win the Trans-Tasman Cup for the first time but press their claims for selection in the World Teams Championship during September and October,” said Gregg Thorpe, the Talent and Coach and Development Manager at New Zealand Golf.
“Another key objective of this event is to introduce the best of our emerging talent to international competition giving these young players experience at this level and a taste of what possibly lies ahead.”
The Trans- Tasman Cup is a combination of the previous Australia versus New Zealand Match Play contests conducted by Women’s Golf Australia and the Australian Golf Union and is now run by Golf Australia and New Zealand Golf.
Once an annual event the Trans-Tasman Cup is now played bi-annually and is made up of four categories of four players each.
The Boys’ Category contest the Clare Higson Trophy, the Girls’ Category contest the Junior Tasman Cup, the Open Men’s Category contests the Sloan Morpeth Trophy, and the Open Women’s Category contests the Tasman Cup.
Each play foursomes and singles scratch match play over two rounds.
This will be the fifth staging of the Trans-Tasman Cup and New Zealand is yet to have their name engraved in the silverware with Australia winning the first four events since it began in 2007.
In the inaugural event New Zealand won three of the four trophies but a dominant performance by Australia in the Junior Women’s helped them prevail by a single point.
New Zealand teams to contest the Trans-Tasman Trophy:
Men / Boys:
Manager: Brent Paterson
Men: Ben Campbell (Masterton), Mathew Perry (Hamilton), Vaughan McCall (Gore), Blair Riordan (Takaka)
Under 19’s: Sam An (Titirangi), Ryan Chisnall (Greenacres), Tyler Hodge (Levin), Compton Pikari (Te Awamutu)
Women / Girls:
Manager: Libby Steele
Women: Lydia Ko (North Shore), Emily Perry (Lochiel), Chantelle Cassidy (Tokoroa), Sarah Bradley (Cambridge).
Under 19’s: Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park), Catherine Bell (Ashburton), Laura Hoskin (Arrowtown), Wenyung Keh (Pakuranga)
Source :NZ Golf
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