Julianne Alvarez selected for New Zealand team

Manor park and Wellington golfer Julianne Alvarez has been as part of a young New Zealand team to contest the 35^thQueen Sirikit Cup from April 17 – 19 in Taiwan.

New Zealand Amateur Champion Munchin Keh (Titirangi), Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park) and Lita Guo (North Shore) are the three women who will represent New Zealand at the Sunrise Golf and Country Club.

 World No.1 amateur Lydia Ko, who led NZ to a runner-up finish in the event in 2012, is unable to play this year as she will be competing on the LPGA Tour in April including contesting the first major of the year the Kraft Nabisco major championship. The superstar teen’s absence provides Keh, Alvarez and Guo the opportunity to shine on the international stage.

 “The Queen Sirikit Cup provides a great opportunity to build on the experience of these three players,” said Gregg Thorpe, the High Performance Manager at New Zealand Golf.

 The Wellington No.1 has been an intermittent NZ rep since her debut at the Astor Trophy in 2011 and wants to take this opportunity in Taiwan with both hands.

 “It is nice to be back and to be playing in such a prestigious event like the Queen Sirikit Cup,” said the 16-year-old Alvarez.

 “I have worked really hard for this opportunity for the past two years and to be back representing New Zealand means a lot to me.

 “Obviously Lydia has set a new benchmark for all of us to follow. She has been just amazing and we have to perform well in her absence. It is a good challenge for us. I know that every time you play for New Zealand you have to play well because you don’t know how many chances you will get.”

 The Queen Sirikit Cup is an annual contest between 14 nations from the Asia Pacific region - that is officially known as the Amateur Ladies Asia-Pacific Invitational team championship.

 New Zealand has won the Queen Sirikit Cup on three occasions (1984, 1990 and 1999).

 The Kiwi team is looking to replicate the effort of New Zealand's most recent win in 1999. The New Zealand team of Lisa Aldridge, Renee Fowler and Tina Howard won the title from Chinese Taipei in a playoff at Paraparaumu Beach.

New Zealand Team for Queen Sirikit Cup:

Julianne Alvarez (Manor Park), Lita Guo (North Shore) and Munchin Keh (Titirangi)

Team Manager: Libby Steele