Sydney golfer Annika Rathbone is the new face in the Australian team for the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific championship in Thailand, where a ticket to three majors is up for grabs.
Rathbone, 20, joins five players who competed last year in Thailand - Queenslander teenagers Sarah Hammett and Justice Bosio, South Australia's Caitlin Peirce, West Australian Abbie Teasdale and Jazy Roberts from Victoria.
The winner of the February 1-4 tournament, played at Siam Country Club in Pattaya, will receive an invitation to three professional majors in 2024 - the AIG Women's Open, Amundi Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship.
They will also be invited to the Hana Financial Group Championship in Asia, the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, the 121st Women's Amateur Championship in the United Kingdom and the Augusta National Women's Amateur.
No Australian has won the WAAP since its inception in 2018, with Kelsey Bennett's runner-up finish in 2021 the best result.
Adelaide's Peirce was the best Australian in 2023 in a tie for 13th place and will lead the way in Thailand again.
Rathbone earned her place by going undefeated at the Golf Australia Interstate Matches at St Michael's in 2023 as NSW triumphed.
She has previously won three consecutive pennant titles with The Australian Golf Club and was also prominent at the Australian Amateur in 2023.
"I was over the moon when I received the email," said Rathbone.
"I had tears of joy. It's such an honour and it's been a childhood dream of mine to represent Australia at the upcoming Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific."
Golf Australia's Female Pathway manager Stacey Peters was delighted with the selections.
"It's a good, strong team with that mix of youth and experience," Peters said.
"Five of these girls know what this is all about and know how to handle the emotions of playing in an event with such a big prize at the end of it.
"Annika as the new member of the team has been really impressive and played her way into the mix."
