PATSY HANKINS TROPHY-Team Europe-La Manga
The EGA is delighted to confirm the first nine players of the 2023 European Patsy Hankins Trophy team that will take on Asia-Pacific at La Manga Resort, Spain from 3 to 5 August.
The Patsy Hankins Trophy is a three-day match between the best female amateur players from Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. The contest, which parallels the Solheim Cup format, will take place for the first time in five years after the previous edition was cancelled due to Covid restrictions.
48 of the world's best amateur players have gathered in Spain this week to contest the Bonallack and Patsy Hankins Trophies.
The two Ryder Cup style matches, played between 12-player teams from Europe and Asia-Pacific over three days, are taking place for the first time in five years at La Manga Resort.
The visitors hold the trophies in both the men's and women's matches, but will have a tough task in defending them this week against two strong European teams.
THE TEAMS
Each team of 12 can select a maximum of two players per country, meaning 24 different nations are represented this week.
The European Patsy Hankins Trophy team will be spearheaded by Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (ESP).
Ranked third in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the Spaniard will also be the highest ranked player in the match.
The European team boasts eight more players inside the WAGR top-50, and all 12 inside the top-100. Many of the players have formerly been teammates, representing Europe in the Junior Solheim Cup, and both sides of the Vagliano and Junior Vagliano Trophy matches.
EUROPEAN PATSY HANKINS TEAM
Myrte Eikenaar (NED) (non-playing captain)
Kajsa Arwefjall (SWE)
Helen Briem (GER)
Beth Coulter (Golf Ireland)
Savannah De Bock (BEL)
Francesca Fiorellini (ITA)
Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (ESP)
Patricie Mackova (CZE)
Patience Rhodes (ENG)
Celina Rosa Sattelkau (GER)
Rocio Tejedo (ESP)
Lottie Woad (ENG)
Meja Örtengren (SWE)
Although the European team looks slightly stronger on paper, many of their opponents on the Asia-Pacific team are also highly ranked, with six players inside WAGR's top-50.
South Korea's Minsol Kim, who finished runner-up at the Women's Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship this year, is currently ranked inside the world's top-10 and will look to lead the team to a third straight victory in the match.
ASIA-PACIFIC PATSY HANKINS TEAM
Liz McKinnon (NZL) (non-playing captain)
Mizuki Hashimoto (JAP)
Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (AUS)
Tin-Hsuan Huang (TPE)
Nanako Inagaki (JAP)
Minsol Kim (KOR)
Yeji Park (KOR)
Caitin Pierce (AUS)
Avani Prashanth (IND)
Shannon Tan (SGP)
Rina Tatematsu (THA)
Elain Widjaja (INA)
Fiona Xu (NZL)
ABOUT THE PATSY HANKINS
The Patsy Hankins Trophy is a biennial match played between 12-player female teams from Europe and Asia-Pacific. The EGA selects the European team, while the Asia-Pacific side is fielded by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC).
The contest and trophy are named in memory of Patsy Hankins, a former golf administrator from New Zealand. Her legacy as a trailblazer in golf administration grew due to her long list of achievements and kind and gentle approach. From fostering the development of the women’s game to playing a key role in the joining of men’s and women’s golf, Patsy was incredibly influential and will leave a long lasting legacy in the game not only in New Zealand but around the world.
The match takes place over three days. Five foursomes matches in the morning and five fourball matches in the afternoon are played on both of the first two days. On the final day, all 12 players complete singles matches. With 32 total points on offer (1 for a win, 0.5 for a half and 0 for a loss), 16.5 points are needed to secure victory. The format mirrors the Solheim Cup, except for one additional match in each of the four sessions over the first two days.
This year’s match will be the 3rd edition between the two sides since the match was inaugurated in 2016. In the last match, at Doha Golf Club in Qatar, the Asia-Pacific side dominated against a European team missing several highly ranked players.
TEAM EUROPE WINS
