Unchanged Kiwi Team Target Queen Sirikit Cup Success

Manila, Philippines: New Zealand has named an unchanged team for the 43rd Queen Sirikit Cup.

Following their outstanding performance in 2022, Fiona Xu, Vivian Lu and Eunseo Choi will once more fly the flag for New Zealand in the Asia-Pacific Ladies Amateur Invitational Team Championship.

At Singapore’s Laguna National Golf Resort Club last year, the Kiwi trio surpassed expectations with a second-place finish in the 15-nation event.

This year, they’ll be aiming to go one better when the event is staged over the Masters Course at Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club from February 21-24.

Golf New Zealand’s High-Performance Manager Gregg Thorpe believes Xu, Lu and Choi are capable emerging triumphant in the Philippines, emulating the success of Tina Howard, Lisa Aldridge and Renee Fowler at Paraparaumu Beach in 1999, the last time New Zealand lifted the trophy.

Thorpe said: “Fiona, Vivian, and Eunseo all gained immeasurable experience in 2022, in particular from their second place in Singapore. They’ve shown they gel well as a team and I know they will be looking forward to challenge the likes of Japan, Australia and Korea in the Philippines.”

Xu, who finished joint 10th individually at Laguna National, has risen to 35th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Last year, she won the Australian Women’s Amateur Championship, finished runner-up at the Riversdale Cup and Rene Erichsen Salver, made the US Junior Amateur quarter-finals, and finished 10th at the ISPS Australian Women’s Open.

Her Auckland teammate Lu also boasted some solid form in 2022, highlighted by becoming the first player to defend the New Zealand Women’s Stroke Play Championship in 27 years. In the fourth Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) at Thailand's Siam Country Club in November, Lu and Xu ended in a share of 13th place.

Choi followed up her breakthrough 2021 with commendable New Zealand junior and senior team performances during 2022, including a tie for 27th at the WAAP.

The Queen Sirikit Cup is a 15-nation event that is played annually over four rounds. The top two of three scores after each day count toward the team score.