Golf: Talented amateurs earn Open tickets

national amateur champion Cecilia Cho. Photo / Richard Robinson.

Several of this country's leading amateur golfers have secured places in the field for next month's New Zealand Women's Open at Pegasus near Christchurch.

New Zealand Golf yesterday confirmed that 10 amateurs have been granted a direct invitation to the field for the tournament on February 17-20, a €200,000 ($344,000) event co-sanctioned by the Australian Ladies' Professional Golf (ALPG) and the Ladies' European Tour (LET).

They include all three members of the New Zealand team who finished eighth in the Espirito Santo world teams championship last year - Aucklander Cecilia Cho, Northland's Caroline Bon and Lydia Ko of North Harbour.

Cho, the national amateur champion, won the Aaron Baddeley International title last month, while Ko, 13, finished a highly commendable seventh in the Open last year.

For Bon, the South Island amateur champion, the Open will mark her professional debut after she earned conditional entry to the LET in the final qualifying school last month.

Other amateurs to be granted invitations are Whakatane's Zoe Brake, North Harbour trio Rica Tse, Faye-Amy Nickson and Rebekah Brownlee, Waikato's Emily Perry, Wellington teenager Julianne Alvarez and Rotorua's Chantelle Cassidy.

"The New Zealand Women's Open was established as a catalyst to raise the profile of the game for women and provide aspirational opportunities for young New Zealand golfing talent," New Zealand Golf chief executive Dean Murphy said.

"We are pleased that we have been able to provide open qualifying places for our leading amateur players.

"This provides a clear pathway for our young players if they wish to develop into world-class professionals. This experience will no doubt be a massive benefit for them."

- NZPA