WA duo Abbie Teasdale and Jess Whitting have been announced in the field of 12 golfers to compete in The Athena tournament from March 1-2.
Held at Melbourne’s Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, The Athena is a unique, made-for-TV tournament that showcases both the abilities and personalities of the athletes involved.
The first day features a series of nine skills challenges, after which the top eight players progress to a four-hole knock-out match play tournament the following day.
With a tasty winner’s cheque of $30,000 going to the overall champion, both Teasdale and Whitting will be hopeful of earning a lucrative payday in such a limited-field event.
After turning pro in January, 22-year-old Teasdale made a hot start to life on the WPGA Tour, winning the Melbourne International in just her second professional start.
Making her Athena debut, the two-time WA Women’s Amateur Champion is a gritty match player, who will fancy her chances of doing well should she progress past the first day.
Whitting, meanwhile, will tee it up in the tournament for the second time after a strong debut in 2024 that saw her reach the match play rounds before being eliminated by eventual champion Kelsey Bennett.
The 27-year-old Mandurah Country Club product says she’s greatly looking forward to being in the televisual spotlight once again.
“I enjoy the event so much because it’s a new and fun way to showcase golf that can help bring the game to life for young girls,” she said.
“It’s an exclusive event that allows only 12 women to compete for a great chance at 30k, so anyone can win! I like my chances after I gained an understanding from last year’s event, so I go into it confident and looking forward to a fun competition.”
The Athena tournament info
Full field: Abbie Teasdale (WA); Jess Whitting (WA); Steph Bunque (VIC); Claire Shin (NSW); Sarah Yamaki Branch (QLD); Steffi Vogel (NSW); Danni Vasquez Boyd (NSW); Amy Chu (NSW); Belinda Ji (NSW); Maddison Kelly (QLD); Amelia Mehmet Grohn (NSW); Kono Matsumoto (VIC)
Past champions: Kristalle Blum (2021); Kirsten Rudgeley (2022); Grace Lennon (2023); Kelsey Bennett (2024)
Tune in: The Athena will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and Kayo from 11am-3pm AWST on Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2. Visit the tournament website for more information.
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