Keating shock omission from World Cup
IN: News | Amateur Golf | World Amateur Team Championships (2008) | General | by Liz White | 07 Aug 2008
Victoria’s Stacey Keating is a surprise omission from the national team to take on the world at the Espirito Santo Cup in October.
Despite claiming the Canadian Amateur last week, winning her qualifying event for the US Amateur and placing third at the Colorado Stroke in July, the 22 year old Victorian was overlooked.
In the team are recently crowned US Amateur co-medallist, Stephanie Na, Tamworth’s Julia Boland and fellow AIS member, Victorian Claire Choi.
With such great form on the international stage, Peter Knight acknowledged Keating had come into the reckoning despite not being in the original squad of five chosen earlier this year.
“I think you can pretty much guess who we would have looked at,” he said.
The Elite Development coach for Golf Australia, and one of the team selectors, Knight acknowledged the choice was difficult.
“Find a really good adjective for very,” he said.
“I can’t really talk about each individual but I can tell you there was a lot of discussion.”
While Na was an automatic selection as the currently ranked number one Australian amateur, the other two spots were definitely up for grabs.
Kristie Smith turning pro made it a little bit easier for selectors, but they decided to opt for Boland and Choi, who have won three titles each in the past 12 months.
For Boland the inclusion is reward for a stellar 12 months where she won the prestigious Riversdale Cup, the Lake Macquarie Amateur and in May, the NSW Stroke Play.
“You can use all the cliché’s you like, but I am ecstatic, over the moon it is a dream come true,” she said.
“You listen to all the Olympians at the moment talking about how good it is to represent your country and it just gets me so excited. I can’t wait.”
Choi was also selected due to her solid performances over the last 12 months, which included winning the Dunes Medal, the Tasmanian and the Victorian Stroke play, which she shared with Stephanie Na.
Boland admits that she didn’t think she would make the team.
“With Kristie turning pro I knew that I was a chance but the way I played at the South Australian Stroke I didn’t think I would make it,” she said.
“I honestly thought it would be between me and Stace, because she has been playing so well. If anyone were to replace me I would hope it would be Stace because she is just such a fantastic person and probably has the best attitude to golf in Australia.
“I think she would be devastated.”
Keating, the Australian Amateur runner-up is currently overseas, travelling in the US with Na and was unavailable for comment.
The Espirito Santo Cup starts on October 8 and will be played at Stephanie Na’s home course of Royal Adelaide and the nearby 36-hole Grange course.
While the Aussie girls will have the home advantage, Peter Knight believes it is the Koreans and Japanese that will also be in with a great chance.
“By sheer weight of numbers you can’t discount the Americans but the Koreans and Japanese just seem to be way ahead – that has been the way this year and last.”
Knight’s comments are backed up by the results at the recent Queen Sirikit Cup in Japan where Korea won the event with a combined total of 34 under, just edging out Japan on 31 under.
A distant third was Chinese Taipei on 17 under while the Australian team of Na, Choi and Smith finished way back in fourth position on 11 under after the three- day event.
While Keating would no doubt be disappointed at being overlooked she has one event to look forward to.
Next week she will tee it up at her first LPGA event, the Canadian Open in Ottawa, all thanks to her solid victory at the Canadian Amateur last month.
