The 2009 Australian School Teams Championship is underway, with Hills Educational Foundation from Queensland the first school to qualify for the National Final. With the winning school from each state funded by Golf Australia to contest the National Final at Peninsula Country Golf Club in Victoria in August, the event is always hotly contested. Hills Educational Foundation will wait in anticipation for their fellow national finalists. The team Emily McLennan, Maverick Antcliff, John Coleman qualified after returning a score of 441 in the three person scratch aggregate event, at Nudgee Golf Club earlier this month. The second team from Hills Educational Foundation, which consisted of Ben Austin, Ben Corlett, Avinesh Nareshkumar was runner up. Como Secondary College in Western Australia is the defending champion, and is sure to be a favourite to qualify via its State Final. The remaining States will hold their Finals in the first part of 2009, commencing with Western Australia on 13 February, Victoria on 27 February, NSW in April, Tasmania on 3 May, and concluding with South Australia on 29 May. Srixon has donated three stand golf bags for each State Final, and with past players including Adam Scott, Rick Kulacz and Jason Day, the event is crucial for Golf Australia to ensure the sport is prominent in secondary schools. For further information about the event, please click here to contact your State Association.