Golf: Open spot up for grabs

A place in next month's $415,000 European co-sanctioned New Zealand women's open will add some spice to this week's North Island amateur championship in Taupo.

New Zealand Golf has set aside one spot for the winner or top ranked player not already exempt for the second annual New Zealand Open, which is sure to add plenty of interest to the 54-hole strokeplay event at Taupo Golf Club.

Already Cecilia Cho, Lydia Ko, Zoe Brake, Emily Perry, Hanee Song and Jesse Hamilton have secured starts in the Pegasus New Zealand.

North Harbour's Ko, 13, will defend the title she won at Muriwai last year and look to continue her run of form including runner-up in the New Zealand amateur.

The Korean-born teenager has now become a New Zealand citizen and will no doubt look to press her claims for international selection.

The player to beat will be New Zealand Amateur champion Cho (Pakuranga). The 15-year-old enjoyed an incredible 2009 season with 15 individual titles including the national amateur and she led Auckland to the Toro Interprovincial crown.

Cho is still in the process of her citizenship application, and with Ko is likely to provide stern competition for a place in the New Zealand team for the Espirito Santo world teams championships this year.

Brake (Whakatane) will be a player to beat on a course she knows well.

The New Zealand strokeplay champion and under-23 champion has recently moved under the coaching team at the Institute of Golf in North Harbour in a bid to take her game to another level.

Perry comes into the tournament in good form after an excellent showing at the Lake Maquarie International in New South Wales.

Perry (Lochiel), the leading amateur in the Charles Tour last year, finished sixth with a five-over par 297 at the Belmont Golf Club.

The 60-strong field will compete on the Centennial course at Taupo starting today and concluding on Friday.