Stacey Keating has longed for an opportunity to represent her country as a professional. After six years competing on the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour, she will get that opportunity when she represents team ALPG at The Queens Cup in 4 weeks time.
Congratulations on making the ALPG team, what does it mean to play for your country and your home tour?
Well for me it`s a huge honor, anytime you get to represent your country/tour is a huge honor, and especially in our sport where it doesn`t happen that often, the last time I represented Australia was in 2010 World Amateur, so for me it feels like a long time ago. We play a very selfish sport so a team opportunity is something to really look forward to!!
Most of the ALPG team know each other very well, who will be the joker of the team this year?
Everyone on this team gets along so well, it`s going to be a blast!! But I would have to say Kempy will be the joker!!!
Obviously Rachel Hetherington is a legend of Australian Golf, having beaten Annika Sorenstam in 3 playoffs on the LPGA Tour. What can she bring to the team who will be underdogs in 2016?
Someone with her experience is priceless, you can`t buy that sort of experience and I can`t wait to hammer her with different questions about certain situations for the week ahead! It will be a huge advantage with her on our side.
When did you last play matchplay? Are you looking forward to it?
It has to be the best format in golf, it seems to bring out the best in everyone- no one is focused on scores, just winning the hole!! I have played match play once in the past 7 years, so not a lot I guess!!!
What are you looking forward to the most at The Queens Cup?
The team environment!! That`s what I miss about professional golf, as an amateur I always travelled with the national squad, or an aussie team.. now its solo!!Playing as a team, and having team dinners etc that`s what I`m excited about!!
About The Queens presented by Kowa
The Queens Cup presented by Kowa is a unique match play tournament featuring four teams of nine players, including a playing captain, from the Ladies European Tour, Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association of Japan, Ladies Korean LPGA and Australian Professional Golf Inc.
The tournament will take place at Miyoshi Country Club near Nagoya, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.
A total of 32 matches will be played over three days: eight fourball matches on day one, eight foursomes matches on day two and 16 singles matches on day three.
Scoring is done via a points system, with each match being worth 3 points to the winning team. If a match ends all square after 18 holes, 1 point is awarded to each team.
On completion of the first 2 days, the leading two teams will contest the \"Championship Final\" on Sunday 4th December, while the other 2 teams will contest the \"Third Place Final\"
Prize Money:
Winning Team : 45,000,000 yen ( 5,000,000 yen per person x 9 Players)
Runner-up: 27,000,000 yen (3,000,000 yen per person x 9 Players)
3rd Place: 18,000,000 yen (2,000,000 yen per person x 9 Players)
4th Place: 9,000,000 yen (1,000,000 yen per person x 9 Players)
Follow ALPG on Twitter @ALPGTour Instagram alpgtour and Facebook Australian Ladies Professional Golf