Maurice and Wong Make the Long Way Home
Two rising amateurs arrive in Wellington shaped by Scotland and driven by opportunity
Caitlin Maurice of New Zealand and Hong Kong, China’s Sabrina Wong have travelled from Scotland to compete in this week’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship at Royal Wellington Golf Club, arriving from the ancestral home of golf for the eighth edition of the event.
For Maurice, 23, the journey marks an emotional return home after completing her master’s degree at the University of St Andrews, while for 14-year-old Wong it is a first visit to New Zealand after a 30-hour journey covering some 18,000 kilometres.
“It’s always special to represent your home country, and to have the championship back home is very cool to be a part of,” said Maurice. “I’m super excited to play against some of the best girls in the world.”
Maurice, who grew up in the Bay of Plenty, enjoyed a strong 2025 season with one victory and six top-10 finishes in World Amateur Golf Ranking events, including a win on the R&A Student Tour Series in Ireland and a third-place finish in Sweden. Her only previous WAAP appearance came in Abu Dhabi in 2021, where she missed the cut.
Wong has also flourished since moving to Scotland in 2023, citing a more relaxed academic environment and greater opportunity to practise. In 2024 she recorded two wins and eight top-10 finishes in WAGR-counting events, was runner-up at the Girls’ Junior European Open in Spain and finished ninth at the R&A Girls’ Under-16 Amateur Championship.
The Hong Kong, China representative is making her third appearance in the WAAP and continues to build on steady progress after finishing 46th last year in Vietnam. “Every time, the WAAP is such a good experience,” Wong said. “This is my third appearance in the championship but my first time in New Zealand. It’s so exciting to be here.”