Designed with the purpose of promoting female PGA Professionals working in the industry, joining Knight in the Australian team will be Paige Stubbs (Castle Hill CC), Katelyn Must (Peregian Springs GC), Nicole Martino (Western Australia GC) and Angela Tatt (Ballarat GC).

Representatives from six world PGAs will compete in the Women’s PGA Cup that will take place from October 26-29: Australia, Canada, Great Britain & Ireland, South Africa, Sweden and the United States.

The field competes in a 54-hole, strokeplay format, with each team’s lowest three scores counted after each round. The winning country is the team with the lowest 54-hole aggregate total.

To be eligible to represent your country in the Women’s PGA Cup, members must be engaged in a full-time position in the golf industry and Knight brings strong credentials both as a coach, club professional and as a player.

The 2019 South Australian Game Development Professional of the Year and 2016 South Australia Teaching Professional of the Year, Knight was elected by the PGA of Australia’s Vocational Members Council to captain the Australian team, almost 20 years since representing her country at the 1994 Queen Sirikit Cup.

After more than a decade on tour – which included victory at the 1999 Ladies German Open – Knight undertook the PGA Bridging course when her health forced her retirement from tournament golf and views the Women’s PGA Cup as the ideal opportunity to bring those two facets together.

“When I stopped playing, there wasn’t a lot of opportunities for me to play in the position that I was in,” Knight explains.

“I wasn’t a member of a club, I didn’t have a handicap, I felt uncomfortable playing as a Professional in a club event.

“I hadn’t played for 15 years so when the opportunity arose for me to try and qualify for the Women’s PGA Cup, I realised that I’m in this industry because I love playing.

“I should have been playing more in those 15 years.”

In 2019, the PGA and the then ALPG announced a new alignment that would encourage an increase in the female representation within the ranks of PGA Professionals.

Those numbers are steadily increasing and PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman hopes that the Women’s PGA Cup will continue to inspire more women to join the industry.

“Whether through playing, coaching, management or golf club operations, there are a wide range of opportunities for women to work within the golf industry,” said Kirkman.

“I appreciate that talented amateurs want to pursue a professional playing career but the Women’s PGA Cup highlights that there continue to be playing opportunities for Vocational Members.

“With Anne-Marie leading the way, this Australian team is a great representation of the PGA and I know they will do us proud in New Mexico.”

It is this extra sense of responsibility that Knight believes adds an additional element to her representative experiences as an amateur.

“As an amateur representing Australia, it really was just for myself but this is different,” adds Knight.

“You’re representing the PGA, you’re showcasing your product and representing all the female PGA club professionals within our industry.

“It’s a really unique experience. I feel incredibly proud to have represented Australia in my teens but to be in this position at nearly 52 leading a group of very inspiring young women is truly humbling and a very proud moment for me.

“I feel that we can showcase women in our industry and expose to other young women that want to have a career in golf that along with playing you can be a coach, you can work in golf shop operations or a club management role.

“I just feel that we’re perfect role models for that.”

For more information on the Australian team as they prepare for the challenge ahead, be sure to keep an eye on the PGA of Australia website and social channels over the coming months.

Australian team for PGA Women’s Cup October 24-29

Anne-Marie Knight (Captain): A full Vocational Member since 2009, Knight is the Head Teaching Professional at West Beach Parks Golf. She is a former Ladies European Tour Winner and was named the LET Rookie of the Year in 1999. Coaching achievements include SA – PGA Teaching Pro of the Year (2016) and SA – Game Development Professional of the Year (2019).

Nicole Martino: A full Vocational Member since 2013, Martino is the Golf Manager at Western Australia Golf Club. Martino is a former ALPG Tour player and has played on the China LPGA Tour.

Katelyn Must: A full Vocational Member since 2012, Must is a Teaching Professional at Peregian Springs Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast. A current member of the WPGA Tour of Australasia, Must finished 20th at the Australian WPGA Championship in January and was tied for 23rd at the Vic Open.

Paige Stubbs: Having achieved full Vocational Member qualifications this year, Stubbs is employed as the Teaching Professional at Castle Hill Country Club in Sydney. She has previously played on and member of the Ladies European Tour, LET Access Series, China LPGA Tour and WPGA Tour.

Angela Tatt: A full Vocational Member since 2009, Tatt is the Assistant Professional at Ballarat Golf Club in Victoria. An outstanding amateur who represented the Victorian state squad and was the 2005 Victorian Country Champion, Tatt won the 2008 ALPG Castle Hill Golf Club Pro-Am shortly after completing her traineeship.