AUGUSTA, Ga. – For the third time, Duke women’s golf senior Erica Shepherd will have the opportunity play the famed Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday, April 1 in the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) Championship. The two-time All-American carded a 36-hole total of 1-over-par, 145, to place tied for 21st over the last two days at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
Shepherd, who hails from Greenwood, Ind., collected rounds of 74 and 71 over the last two days. After a rocky start on Wednesday morning, Shepherd played her final 32 holes at 2-under-par with six birdies. On Thursday, Shepherd opened her day with a bogey, but then birdied the two par fives on the front nine, No. 3 and No. 9, to move to 1-under-par for the day. She played the final nine holes at even par with seven pars, one birdie on No. 14 and a bogey.
“I would say today definitely wasn’t pretty, but I knew exactly what I needed to do and was able to do it,” said Shepherd. “That was my one goal, to be around par today, make the cut. And missed a lot of greens. I’m usually a really good ball-striker but kind of kept my head on straight, was super patient, and it worked out.”
With Shepherd placing in the top 30, she advances to the final round on Saturday, April 1 on the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club. Shepherd previously placed tied for 16th in 2021 and tied for 21st in 2019.
Duke junior Phoebe Brinker missed the cut for the second straight year with rounds of 79 and 73. A product of Wilmington, Del., Brinker had a great start to her second round with birdies on No. 3 and No. 7, but a double-bogey on No. 10 and bogey on No. 11 pushed her score over par. She closed the day even-par over her final seven holes.
In her first appearance in the event, Anne Chen turned in rounds of 77 and 71 to miss the cut. Chen, who hails from Sugar Land, Texas, had a solid finish to her week in Augusta. She was 2-over through nine holes on Thursday, but closed the back final nine holes at 3-under-par to finish with a 71. Chen registered four birdies on No. 2, No. 5, No. 7 and No. 9. Her 36-hole total of 148 missed the cut by only two strokes.
On Friday, all three Blue Devils will have the opportunity to play a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club.
Rose Zhang leads the field…
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