Golf: Sars forces women to focus on Australia

Next week's Australian amateur women's championship has taken on added significance for the New Zealand team.

The Sars virus has forced the deferral of next month's Queen Sirikit Cup Asia Pacific tournament in Korea, leaving the Australian campaign as the sole focus for the New Zealanders.

Five players will take part in the Australian championships, which start in Adelaide tomorrow, as a lead-in to the annual Tasman Cup clash against Australia.

Taupo's Tina Howard, 24, leads a group of teenagers including Penny Newbrook of Rotorua, Kyla Welsh and Sarah Nicholson of Wellington and Auckland's Enu Chung for the Australian championships at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide.

Chung, 15, is the youngest player to compete for New Zealand.

They will be joined by Olivia Hartley of New Plymouth and Christchurch's Naomi Wallace in the New Zealand team to meet Australia at Royal Adelaide Golf Club on May 7-8.

Initially the Queen Sirikit Cup trio of Howard, Newbrook and Chung were to fly from Adelaide to Korea for the Asia Pacific teams event.

"In some ways it is better for such a young combination," team captain Anna Brabyn said.

"We were to be away nearly a month, which is a long time for a young team.

"Now we can firmly focus on the Australian campaign, learn from that experience and then hopefully refocus for the Queen Sirikit Cup when we have a new date for the competition, " Brabyn said.

- NZPA