State pride is on the line as the 2008 Australian Interstate Teams Matches tee off in New South Wales today. The women’s matches will be a fiercely fought contest at the picturesque Pymble Golf Club, in Sydney s northern suburbs, with the Victorian and Western Australian teams looking strong. Canadian Amateur champion Stacey Keating will join Dunes Medal winner Clare Choi to lead the line up for the Victorians while San Diego Junior Masters winner Whitney Hillier and WA State Amateur champion Nicole Montgomery push for glory for the West. Riversdale Cup and NSW Stroke Play champion Julia Boland and Victorian Women’s Amateur winner Rebecca Flood will be hoping to lead the NSW women to victory on home soil. US Amateur medallist Stephanie Na will fight for South Australia, while the in-form Ashlee Dewhurst will hope Tasmania can cause an upset. Bree Arthur and and Courtney Massey will battle it out in the Queensland team. It will be an equally dogged fight at the spectacular Monash Country Club on Sydney s Northern Beaches with a host of men’s players returning from tours overseas. 2008 Rice Planters winner Matthew Griffin will join Josh Younger for Victoria but face stiff competition from both New South Wales and Western Australia. Royal Birkdale competitor Rohan Blizard will return alongside World Amateur Team Championship and NSW team mate Tim Stewart while national squad members Matt Jager and Jason Scrivener will be in the hunt for Western Australia. Queensland, with Daniel Nisbet on board, will hope to take the Cup to the Sunshine State as Tasmania and South Australia are sure to take advantage of any opportunities. The Colts, playing by the sea at Mona Vale Golf Club, will be looking to establish themselves as the best up-and-comers around. NSW s Alex Peade plays at his home club while QLD s Blake McGrory, and Victoria s Kieran Pratt are sure to gain attention as they fight it out.