The 12-women field for The 2025 Athena Tournament has been locked in, with the final seven players confirmed for the March 1-2 event at Peninsula-Kingswood Golf Club and Country Club.

Eighteen-year-old Queenslander Maddison Kelly and Steffi Vogel, from the Cobram-Barooga club on the NSW/Victoria border, will make their Athena debuts.

Having last played in the event in 2023, Kono Matsumoto will return for another shot at the title, while four players from last year - runner-up Amy Chu, alongside Steph Bunque, Amelia Mehmet Grohn and Jess Whitting – round out the field.

Now in its fifth year, The Athena is the perfect stage to showcase the talent and personalities of Australia’s up and coming female golfers.

The two-day tournament will see the field of 12 battle it out across nine different golfing challenges on the opening day to determine the eight qualifiers for the four-hole matchplay on Sunday.

To collect the winner’s cheque of $30,000, the champion is required to win three sudden-death match-ups in a row.

After turning professional in 2022, Chu features on both the WPGA Tour of Australasia and the EPSON Tour in the United States.

One of the most powerful hitters on the WPGA, Bunque, 27, is also a member of the Ladies European Tour (LET) Access Series.

Grohn, who won The Athena’s Longest Drive Challenge in 2023, tied sixth in The Drummond Melbourne International event in January this year.

This year marks Whitting’s second season as a pro, with the 27-year-old looking to add to her first LET title, a joint win in the Australian Women’s Classic, in April last year.

During her last appearance at The Athena, Matsumoto won three challenges - the optimum drive, pitch and trouble shot.

Kelly joined the WPGA Tour of Australasia in January this year after graduating from the Australian Golf Foundation (AGF) Junior Girls Scholarship program.

As a PGA of Australia Membership Pathway Program graduate, Vogel joined the LET in March last year.

Today’s additions join the five players announced last week – Belinda Ji, Sarah Yamaki Branch, Abbie Teasdale, Danni Vasquez Boyd and Claire Shin.

WPGA Tour of Australasia CEO Karen Lunn said she’s excited to see what this field can bring to The Athena in 2025.

“The 2025 Athena Field features some of Australia’s best up and coming female golfers,” Lunn said.

“This event is the perfect platform to showcase the personalities and incredible talent of the next generation of women in Australian golf.

“I’m looking forward to The Athena returning to Peninsula Kingswood and can’t wait for the event to get even bigger and better this time around.”

The Athena Tournament will be broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo from 2pm to 6pm AEDT on Saturday and Sunday, while entry to the event is free.

2025 THE ATHENA FIELD

Abbie Teasdale (WA)

Claire Shin (NSW)

Belinda Ji (NSW)

Sarah Yamaki Branch (Qld)

Danni Vasquez Boyd (NSW)

Amy Chu (NSW)

Maddison Kelly (Qld)

Amelia Mehmet Grohn (NSW)

Steffi Vogel (NSW)

Kono Matsumoto (Vic)

Steph Bunque (Vic)

Jess Whitting (WA)

FORMER CHAMPIONS

2024: Kelsey Bennett (NSW)

2023: Grace Lennon (Vic)

2022: Kirsten Rudgeley (WA)

2021: Kristalle Blum (SA)