US Girls' Junior Champion Minjee Lee is in the Squad in 2013. Photo: USGA

Golf Australia is pleased to announce the players selected for the 2013 National Squad.

Tier 1: Minjee Lee (WA), Su-Hyun Oh (VIC)

Tier 2: Geoff Drakeford (VIC), Brett Drewitt (NSW), Oliver Goss (WA), Jake Higginbottom (NSW), Whitney Hillier (WA), Nathan Holman (VIC), Ricky Kato (NSW), Jayde Panos (WA), Cameron Smith (QLD)

Junior Squad: Lucas Herbert (VIC), Anthony Murdaca (SA), Ryan Ruffels (VIC)

The new squad members are Victorian trio Geoff Drakeford, Lucas Herbert and Ryan Ruffels and Western Australian Jayde Panos.

Panos is currently studying and competing for Oklahoma State University. WA Open champion Oliver Goss will be the other overseas-based player when he moves to the United States in January to study and compete for the University of Tennessee.

The difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 selected athletes is based on selection benchmarks and criteria met by each athlete. Athletes will receive higher funding at the Tier 1 level for international competition. All other resources and opportunities are equal at both levels.

Golf Australia High Performance Director Brad James said the 2013 squad mixed local and overseas-based talent and would build on the successes of 2012.

“These players have been selected because we feel they have the best chance of making substantial progress in their individual games over the next year and we have the support services in place to help them achieve that,” James said.

“This has been a solid year for the squad highlighted by significant individual victories and team victories in the Nomura Cup, Four Nations Cup, Toyota World Junior Team Championship and Trans-Tasman Cup and we will build on that winning culture.”

“We will also continue with our successful schedule of state, national and international camps which have proved invaluable for players, coaches and support staff during the year.

The new squad takes effect from January 1, 2013.