FLEMING ISLAND – As soon as Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth became a member of the PGA, she became laser-focused on one goal – representing the United States at the Women’s PGA Cup.

That mission became a reality this week when the Fleming Island golf instructor was selected as one of the five players to be on TEAM USA in the premier international competition for women PGA Club Professionals from around the world.

“Anytime you can represent your country and be on the team – we don't get to do that very often in golf – so it's very unique.”

Connelly-Eiswerth is a teaching professional at San Jose Country Club in Jacksonville. Ponte Vedra Beach’s Jennifer Borocz, the Senior Director of Membership and Finance for the North Florida Section PGA, also made the team. They will be part of a contingent that plays against five-women teams from Great Britain/Ireland, Australia, Canada, Sweden and South Africa on Oct. 24-29 at the Twin Warriors Golf Club at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa at Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.

The Women’s PGA Cup is a 54-hole, stroke-play event, with each team’s lowest three scores counted after each round. The winning country will be the team with the lowest 54-hole aggregate total.

While competing on TOUR is the primary job of the professional golfers we see on TV every week, Connelly-Eiswerth, Borocx and their teammates are PGA professionals, and their day job responsibilities are vastly different than PGA TOUR players. PGA Club professionals are stewards of the game at a grassroots level.

“To make the team, there’s a point system over a three-year period,” Connelly-Eiswerth said. “I earned my PGA membership last April, so I was kind of late to the game. But I was able to start earning points. Last summer and through a couple of more national events you earn points through the PGA women's winter stroke play championship. We can also earn points there so there's and then you get some points from your section.”

Most of Connelly-Eiswerth’s time is spent on the practice tee, where she works with players with a wide range of skills.

“I teach full time. I do not play – I don't play full-time anymore,” she said. “I work full time and then I'll play as much as I can. I teach anyone – a lot of ladies and juniors. I have men for students as well. I really enjoy the player development side. And then there’s the short game. It's kind of my niche. My short game is very strong. I've always been drawn to that. I do a lot of clinics and private instruction.”

Connelly-Eiswerth said she’s also looking forward to meeting other players, especially the international players, to study their approaches to the game.

“I'm really looking forward to getting out there with a team and practicing and playing with the competition, getting to me some female professionals from other countries and to pick their brains a little bit about how things work, where they're from. I can’t wait to know what’s popular and their new teaching ideas as well. So it's going to be a great week for a lot of reasons.”