Three New Zealanders will contend for the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Seniors for the first time while a couple of past champions will compete for the Asia-Pacific Seniors Championship in Vietnam next month.
Lisa Herbert (Manawatu), Diana Syer (Hastings), and Robyn Pellow (Ngaruawahia) will fly the Kiwi flag at the senior women’s event from November 21 – 23 at Vinpearl Golf Nam Hoi An, with the best two of three scores each day count toward their team score. They will also compete for the prestigious individual title over the three days.
Herbert earned selection after a ninth-place finish at the 2023 New Zealand Women’s Masters after winning the title in 2022. She has also been a regular fixture in the Manawatu Wanganui women’s interprovincial team. Syer also finished in a share of ninth at the New Zealand Women’s Masters after reaching the quarterfinals at the New Zealand Women’s Seniors. She also boasts a victory at the event last year. Finally, Ngaruawahia’s Robyn Pellow earned her place on the team after a runner-up finish at the New Zealand Women’s Seniors.
They are all relishing the opportunity to play on one of senior women’s golf’s biggest stages.
Two previous winners of the Asia-Pacific Seniors Championship, Brent Paterson (Royal Auckland & Grange) and Stu Duff (Hastings), will be joined by Tony Chettleburgh (Feilding) and Malcolm Gullery (Boulcotts Farm Heritage) in the men’s team competing over the same week.
The best three of four scores each day count towards the team score. Each of them will be playing to put a Kiwi name on the individual title again after Paterson did in 2017 and Duff in 2019.
Paterson has been in a rich vein of form this year, claiming his sixth New Zealand Seniors title, the fourth consecutively, as well as a victory at the British Senior Open and a third-place finish at the Australian Seniors. Duff earned his place on the side following his South Island Seniors victory and second place at New Zealand Seniors.
Chettleburgh and Gullery have also fired this year to earn selection. Chettleburgh won the Horowhenua Open, while Gullery recorded a credible fourth-place finish at the New Zealand Seniors.