New wave to defend Astor Trophy

Queenslander Kirsty Hodgkins will be part of the team of four women (Image: Colorado Buffaloes)

Australia will send a new team next month to defend the Astor Trophy in Canada.

The Aussie team with four women playing at Royal Colwood Golf Club consists of American college athletes Kirsty Hodgkins, Stacey White, Emily Mahar and Amelia Grohn.

Four of the five players – Hannah Green, Shelly Shin, Jenny Lee and Gennai Goodwin – who glorified Australia in 2015, have since joined the professional ranks, with only Becky Kay still an amateur.

Brad James, general manager of Golf Australia, said the Canadian event was a great development opportunity for our North American athletes and for new golf athletes to attract their national colors at senior level.

"This is a great opportunity for our athletes who are currently playing abroad and do not get the chance to compete at home in Australia and show their talents against a high-quality international field," James said.

"It is also a good development opportunity for our high-quality team to connect with our college athletes to respond to their development while still offering opportunities to represent their country at a high level."

Australia has been a prominent player since the start of the tournament and achieved four wins in the last six editions – 1995-2003 – and most recently on its own soil, in 2015.

Previously known as the Commonwealth Tournament, the Astor trophy is fought every four years between teams of female amateur golfers from Great Britain and Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.

Each country is represented by four players who dispute foursome and singles match play in a round robin format.

Former LPGA Tour player Emma De Groot will coach the women when they go to British Columbia from August 28 – September 1.

For more information about the classification of Golf Australia's High Performance events, click here.