Golf: Queen Sirikit Cup team named

New Zealand Golf have named an exciting young team to compete in the 39th edition of the Queen Sirikit Cup to be played in China from 10-12 May.

Alanna Campbell (BOP), Amelia Garvey (Canterbury) and Rose Zheng (Auckland) will represent New Zealand at the Zhangjiagang Shuangshan Golf Club, near Shanghai.

New Zealand Golf's High Performance Manager, Gregg Thorpe, is excited to see some new faces step up.

"These players will relish the opportunity to gain experience at this level," said Thorpe.

"It's important to have our emerging talent gain this much needed experience and it allows us to build depth as we look towards next year's World Amateur Teams Championships in Ireland."

Current New Zealand amateur champion, Rose Zheng, will make her debut at the event after an amazing rise to the top of New Zealand amateur golf.

Zheng won the Harewood Open on the Jennian Homes Charles Tour just before her success at the Royal Wellington Golf Club winning the New Zealand Amateur, which announced her to the golfing public.

Garvey will also be making her maiden senior team appearance fresh off her record breaking 12-shot win at the South Island Amateur Championship in Dunedin.

However, it will be incumbent Queen Sirikit Cup team member Campbell, who will look to lead this side to success after recently returning from the Lydia Ko Scholarship. The Bay of Plenty number one spent time in early January with the world number one, learning how she trains and prepares for the season ahead. Campbell will be looking to utilize this experience in her preparation for China.

"I have had a great year so far and to be able to join Lydia and learn from the best was amazing. She is such a level headed person and hopefully I can take the things I have learnt and put them into place for the Queen Sirikit," said Campbell.

All three players also led their Toro Interprovincial sides and played large roles in their provinces finishing as the top three teams in New Zealand.

Travelling and supporting the new-look team will be New Zealand Golf's National Coach Jay Carter.

The event scoring format records the best two stroke-play scores daily for each team, while an individual prize is also up for grabs. New Zealand has won the Queen Sirikit Cup on three occasions back in 1984, 1990 and the latest 1999.