The fourth Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which takes place the week before The Masters, features the strongest field in its short history.
Every player in the top 10 of the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking will be competing, including World No.1, American Rose Zhang. The Stanford sophomore’s best finish in the tournament to date came two years ago when she finished tied for third.
She’ll surely be confident of claiming her first title this year, particularly in light of her recent run, which included six wins in seven starts up to the Judi Inkster Meadow Club Collegiate, which concluded on 7 March.
Zhang will face plenty of strong competition, though, not least from World No.2 Ingrid Lindblad. The Swede, who finished runner-up in 2022, created plenty of headlines last year when she finished as leading amateur in the US Women’s Open with a tie for 11th.
That performance included a first round six-under 65 – the lowest ever by an amateur in the tournament, proving she is well equipped to handle the big occasion. Lindblad also played in the 2022 Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed, a tournament co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and LET. Once again, she performed creditably, finishing tied for seventh among the women and tied for 33rd overall.
Last year, American Anna Davis edged out Lindblad and Latanna Stone by one shot to claim victory and, in doing so, become the youngest winner of the tournament to date, aged just 16. The World No.8 returns this year to defend her title, along with the compatriot she defeated.
Elsewhere, 2021 champion Tsubasa Kajitani returns after missing out on last year’s tournament. Two years ago, the Japanese player beat Emilia Migliaccio in a playoff to claim the title. Migliaccio returns too, hoping to put the disappointment of that narrow defeat behind her.
Japanese World No.3 Saki Baba, who has held her own in pro tournaments, including the LPGA Tour’s Honda Thailand Classic last month, where she finished 34th, also plays, while there are also appearances from Amari Avery, Jensen Castle, Megha Ganne, Rachel Heck and Rachel Kuehn, who, like Zhang, were all part of the US’s Curtis Cup team that cruised to a ruthless victory over Great Britain & Ireland in 2022.
Aside from the favourites, other intriguing names in the field include Jennie Park, who – incredibly – made 36 consecutive pars in collegiate tournament the UCF Women’s Challenge at the University of Central Florida’s Eagle Creek Golf Club last…
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