Newly-crowned Amateur Championships of Western Australia winners Min Woo Lee and Kirsten Rudgeley have been given double reason to celebrate after being named in the state squad for May’s Interstate Series.
Lee joined elite company by winning his second WA Amateur Championships title at Gosnells Golf Club on Sunday after a 10&8 win over Adam Hatch in the final.
Rudgeley secured a tense 2&1 success over Kathryn Norris to claim the rare honour of holding the girls’ and women’s title at the same time.
Their joy was further sweetened with confirmation they have been selected for the Interstate Series, which will be played on home soil.
Melville Glades will stage the men’s series, from May 9-12, while the women’s event will be held at Royal Fremantle from May 9-11.
"I’m really looking forward to the Interstate Series,” Lee said after his selection.
“It is always an honour to represent your state and play in an event like that. It will be a good week and a good few weeks approaching it.”
Beaten finalist Hatch is set to make his WA Team debut after the 33-year-old’s consistent week at Gosnells and is joined by fellow Royal Perth member and 2016 Amateur Championships of WA winner Fred Lee, who was unable to defend his title last week.
The eight-man squad is completed by Ben Ferguson (The Vines), Kiran Day (Cottesloe), Cooper Geddes (Mandurah), Haydn Barron (WA Golf Club) and Calum Juniper (Hartfield).
A youthful Women’s Team includes five players from the squad set to compete at next month’s Girls Interstate Series at Port Kembla.
Georgia Shears (Wanneroo) is the only player who will not be travelling to New South Wales – she does not qualify for the Junior Interstate Series – and is joined in the WA Women’s Team by Rudgeley (Wanneroo), Norris (Mandurah), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (Gosnells), Abbie Teasdale (Royal Fremantle) and Alysha Ahnantakrishnan (Royal Perth).
“The 14 athletes selected have performed at an outstanding level over the past few months – everyone from the top of the order down to the anchor positions have had considerable success in recent times,” Golf WA High Performance Coordinator Matt Nelson said.
“All athletes display the values that Golf WA stand for and are looking to peak at the Interstate Series in May.
“The strategies and course planning for both venues are already in place and we are excited to see the hard work come to fruition over the next few weeks.
“The contribution all squad members have made, in terms their work ethic, performance and training intensity, has been second to none and clearly displays the ever-improving depth of talent that WA possesses.
“I have no doubts this will hold us in good stead not only for this year, but for many years to come.
“I encourage everyone to get out, wear the black and gold, and get around our state’s best at Melville Glades and Royal Fremantle Golf Clubs in May.”
The men’s team’s preparations will be highlighted by the return of an old rivalry against an all-star PGA squad – headlined by 2017 ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth champion Brett Rumford – at Melville Glades on March 31.
The ‘Pros v Amateurs’ clash has been revived after a seven-year hiatus, with the PGA team boasting more than 20 professional titles, to provide a rare chance for sport fans to experience top-level golf for free.
The captains for both WA Amateur squads are set to be announced at an historic function on April 18, when Golf WA is set to recognise every amateur player to have represented Western Australia.
The evening will be staged at Mount Lawley Golf Club – the course where WA won its most recent men’s Interstate Series in 1999 – with high-profile WA golfing alumnus such as Terry Gale and Shani Waugh invited to attend.
Men’s squad: Haydn Barron (WA Golf Club), Kiran Day (Cottesloe), Ben Ferguson (The Vines), Cooper Geddes (Mandurah), Adam Hatch (Royal Perth), Calum Juniper (Hartfield), Fred Lee (Royal Perth), Min Woo Lee (Royal Fremantle).
Women’s squad: Alysha Ahnantakrishnan (Royal Perth), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (Gosnells), Georgia Shears (Wanneroo), Kathryn Norris (Mandurah), Kirsten Rudgeley (Wanneroo), Abbie Teasdale (Royal Fremantle).