Golf: Campbell to take on world

Alanna Campbell's year continues to get even better with news she will represent her country at the World Junior Girls Championship Trophy. Photo / File

Omanu's Alanna Campbell has been named in the New Zealand team to contest the inaugural World Junior Girls Championship Trophy in Canada next month.

Campbell, a Year 11 pupil at Aquinas College, won selection after an excellent campaign culminating in victory at the Victorian Junior Masters earlier this year.

She kicked on from her first international win back home with seven top-five finishes, including a win in a play-off recently at the Bay of Plenty Open to leave her 10th on the NZ Golf Order of Merit.

Fifteen countries will participate in the inaugural event in Canada, which will be staged from September 26 to October 1, with teams being selected based on their finish at the 2012 World Amateur Team Championship in Turkey.

Campbell will be joined on the North and South Courses at the Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham Ontario, Canada, by Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park) and Wenyung Keh (Pakuranga).

The competition is open to female juniors who have not reached their 19th birthday by the last scheduled day of the championship, October 1, 2014 and who are members in good standing with their respective golf federation and who are not playing university or college golf.

The format mirrors that of the Espirito Santo World Team Championship. It is both a team, where the best two out of three scores each day count, and an individual 72 hole strokeplay competition.

New Zealand Golf high performance coordinator Liz McKinnon, who will manage the team in Canada, said the international competition would prove to be key in developing young players.

"This event is the first of its kind where the top junior girls from around the world will be competing," she said.

"This team is a great mix. Julianne is very experienced internationally and we look forward to developing the potential of Alanna and Wenyung on the international stage.

"It is a great opportunity for the experienced girls to share their preparation and tactical skills that go with a high calibre international event with the less experienced."

New Zealand team to contest the World Junior Girls Championship Trophy: Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park), Wenyung Keh (Pakuranga) and Alanna Campbell (Omanu). Team Manager: Liz McKinnon.
When: September 26 to October 1.
Where: Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham Ontario, Canada