After starting her day with a bogey, Florida State sophomore Lottie Woad rebounded with five birdies and shot 1-under 71 to move to 5 under and lead by two heading into the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Sixteen-year-old Gianna Clemente and Florida senior Maisie Filler are tied for second at 3 under while Virginia junior Amanda Sambach is solo fourth at 2 under. Ingrid Lindblad paces a big group at T-5 and 1 under.
EVANS, Georgia — For a second consecutive year, past champion Anna Davis was hit with a devastating penalty at the fifth edition of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. This time it was for slow play, and once again, she missed the cut.
Davis played alongside tournament leader Lottie Woad and Maria Jose Marin in the second round at Champions Retreat and was notified several times during the round that her group was out of position, said rules committee chair Jim Hyler in a tournament statement.
Davis, 18, received her first bad time after hitting her second shot on the fifth hole, and her second bad time after hitting her second shot on the 17th. She was assessed a one-stroke penalty, that was applied on the 17th hole, resulting in a bogey.
Davis shot 6-over 78 on a blustery day and finished at 4 over for the tournament, missing the cut by one stroke. The top-30 players and ties advance to the final round on Saturday at Augusta National Golf Club.
Some time after the round, a tearful Davis emerged from the clubhouse on Thursday afternoon with her father but was too emotional to talk to a group of reporters, though she did flash a smile. It was still too raw.
Just yesterday, Davis was laughing with reporters about the cards that were passed out on Wednesday morning explaining the rules for preferred lies.
Last year, Davis suffered a four-stroke penalty after she twice picked up the ball from the rough to start the first round. The rule restricts the use of preferred lies to “areas cut to fairway height or less.” She missed the cut by two strokes last year.
Davis, who couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the cards, talked earlier in the week about how much she has grown since winning the ANWA as a 16-year-old bucket-hat-wearing sensation. Winning at Augusta at such a young age, and then playing in several LPGA majors as a result, forced her to grow up a little faster, she said.
“I think I have seen myself grow,” said the Auburn freshman on Tuesday. “Just especially with the situation last year. I think how I handled it was good, and I think if you put me in that situation a few years ago it would’ve been a little different.
“I think if I was put in that situation now, I would handle it better than I did last year.”
Little did she know that another tough lesson would come so quickly.
“He changed to a mallet and won two in a row, so I’m like, why not me?”
Seventeen-year-old Eila Galitsky switched to a mallet putter for one reason: Scottie Scheffler. Galistky, who is currently contending at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur after an opening 5-under 67, made the switch less than a week ago.
“He changed to a mallet and won two in a row, so I’m like, why not me?” she explained.
The new mallet putter, she said, has given her a confidence on the greens she hasn’t had before. Combine that with an average carry distance of 265 yards off the tee, and the South Carolina commit is becoming a force to reckon with in the amateur game.
The Thai player won the 2023 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific to earn a spot in last year’s field but said she wasn’t prepared for the weather conditions she found in Georgia and missed the cut. This year, she traveled over early and played in the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley beforehand to acclimate and tied for third.
At last year’s Chevron Championship, Galitsky tied for 28th and earned low amateur honors.
Top-ranked Scheffler debuted the TaylorMade Spider Tour X mallet at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and won by five, leading the field in strokes gained putting. Then he won again at the Players Championship and is the undisputed favorite heading into the Masters.
It was a low scoring first day of the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
South Carolina junior Hannah Darling holds the solo lead at 6-under 66 after a ANWA-record eight birdies in the opening round. She leads by a shot over Ingrid Lindblad, the top-ranked female amateur in the world, Francesca Fiorellini and Eila Galitsky.
Florida State’s Lottie Woad and Florida’s Maisie Filler sit at 4 under. There were 11 rounds in the 60s on Wednesday, the best scoring day in ANWA history.
After the first two rounds Wednesday and Thursday at Champions Retreat in nearby Evans, Georgia, the field is cut to the top-30 players and ties for the final round Saturday at Augusta National. All 72 players will play a practice round at Augusta National on Friday.
Amari Avery, a collegiate golf star, continues to make waves in the golf world as she tees off in her fourth consecutive start in the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The Augusta National Women’s Amateur is one of the most prestigious events for female amateurs. It is an honor to be invited once, but four times is a dream.
With each appearance, Avery reaffirms her position as one of the most promising talents in the sport. In addition to her picturesque golf swing, she is mature, humble and knows what it takes to work hard at her sport and in her studies.
Bank of America has been a monumental supporter in Avery throughout her career and will be alongside her at this years tournament. Avery values this partnership and believes it has played an important role in her success on and off the course.
Golfweek had a chance to sync up with Avery, her friends, trainers and family to see what it takes to be one of the best amateur golfers on the planet. Check it out below.
“I think every one of them thinks they have a chance.”
EVANS, Ga. — At this time last year, it was Rose Zhang celebration week at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Virginia’s Amanda Sambach wasn’t sure whether she should say this part out loud, but with Zhang in the field, it felt a bit like everyone was playing for second.
“This year,” said Sambach, the 2023 ACC champ, “I think there’s a lot up for grabs.”
Now in its fifth edition, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur boasts a major winner among its past champions in Jennifer Kupcho along with Zhang, who became the first player since Beverly Hanson in 1951 to win on the LPGA in her first professional start at the Mizuho Americas Open. Anna Davis, the super chill Auburn freshman who won this event as a 16-year-old two years ago, is the only former champion in the field.
This year’s seasoned field of 72 includes seven players who finished in the top 10 in 2024.
“I think every one of them thinks they have a chance,” said Florida State head coach Amy Bond, “and that it’s a wide open field. There’s no pure favorite.”
Forty-three players have competed previously in the ANWA, including Emilia Migliaccio, the only one to receive an invitation to all five events. Migliaccio, who lost in a playoff here in 2021, finished up her time at Wake Forest last spring with an NCAA team title.
After deciding to forgo professional golf, she has been trying to fit in a little practice in between her television work. The now married 24-year-old worked three tournaments in a row in the beginning of March – the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate for Golf Channel and the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship for PGA Tour Live.
“When I work in studio, there is a golf course that’s right by the hotel,” said Migliaccio, “so we get like an hour break so I’ll hit for 20 minutes in my first break and my second break, I’ll putt for 30. That’s how I’ve been practicing on the road.
“Obviously not a whole lot of time. I feel like I am getting creative on keeping my practice efficient, and then the last week and a half before ANWA I spent every day on the golf course, six seven hours playing a ton because haven’t had a lot of opportunities to play.”
The format for this year’s event remains the same, with the first two days held on Champions Retreat Golf Club on the Island and Bluffs nines. Many players actually consider Champions Retreat a tougher test than Augusta National.
The field will be cut to the top 30 and ties after Thursday’s round. Then the entire field will head to Augusta National for a practice round. This marks the first year the field will have a chance to play the Par 3 Course.
With thunderstorms forecasted for Wednesday morning, tee times might be pushed back for the opening round.
“I think this course plays different every year that I’ve come back,” said Rachel Kuehn, who is making her fourth appearance. Kuehn said she has never seen greens roll as perfectly as they do at Champions Retreat.
Asterisk Talley, 15, is the youngest player in the field, having celebrated a birthday on Feb. 15. Migliaccio, who turns 25 on April 24, is the oldest.
LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad chipped in for eagle on the par-5 eighth at Augusta National last year and birdied the ninth to finish up her Friday practice round. She then told her playing competitor that it would be her last round there. She’d finished in the top three on two different occasions at the ANWA, and after the missing the cut in 2023, the LSU senior thought she’d head on to LPGA Q-School and turn professional.
The No. 1 amateur in the world, Lindblad comes into Augusta fresh off a 10-stroke victory at the Clemson Invitational where she shot 66-67-65. She’s now the winningest player in SEC history with 14 titles.
“The first day I think I had 14 birdie putts within 20 feet,” she said.
Kelly Xu’s biography on the Stanford University website ends with six words: First female champion at Augusta National.
A decade ago, Xu won the 9-and-under division at the inaugural Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals.
She was 4-foot-8, 61 pounds and called it, “The best day of my life.”
While being awarded her trophy — the first presented to a female at Augusta National — the fourth grader said, “I want to play on the LPGA Tour but not before attending a top university.”
Fast forward 10 years and Xu is a sophomore at Stanford. She arrives this week to compete in her first Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“It’s a full circle moment,” Xu said. “The Drive, Chip & Putt was one of my first achievements in golf, and it really helped foster my journey. What Augusta National has done, generously allowing us to use their course, has meant so much. If it wasn’t for the Drive, Chip & Putt, I wouldn’t have gotten that push.”
As a 9-year-old, Xu claimed her favorite subject in school was lunch; she said she’d serve Brunswick stew, cornmeal, cornbread, sweet corn, sweet tea and peach cobbler at the Champions Dinner.
Now, the Claremont, California, native majors in political science, and says her choice class this semester is a Chinese policy seminar.
As for her updated spread?
“I’d serve sushi,” she said.
Sadie Englemann, Annika Sorenstam, Rose Zhang and Kelly Xu pose on the 18th tee during a practice round of the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif. on Wednesday, July 5, 2023. (Darren Carroll/USGA)
Xu has made a habit of accomplishing goals since 2014. Following her trophy presentation, the fourth grader admitted that her dream pairing would be with former Secretary of State and Augusta National member Condoleezza Rice.
A decade later, Condoleezza is Xu’s academic advisor at Stanford.
Another aspect that hasn’t wavered is Xu’s respect for Augusta National.
As a child, she called the layout, “The most amazing course in the world,” and echoes the adoration as a 19-year-old.
“My parents are immigrants, and 10 years ago, we didn’t understand the depth of Augusta’s history,” said Xu, who hasn’t returned to Augusta since 2014. “After 10 years of golf, we get it now.”
Xu is vying to become the first competitor to capture a Drive, Chip & Putt title and ANWA crown.
“It’s bigger than I can comprehend right now,” Xu said. “I’m a process person, so my goal is to do 150 percent off the course to help my preparation.
“But, yeah, when I step onto that first tee box, I know the nerves will be insane.”
It’s time for the fifth edition of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Seventy-two of the best female amateurs in the world are in Augusta, Georgia, for what has become one of the greatest amateur events on the calendar. Starting Wednesday, players will compete over 36 holes at Champions Retreat up the road in Evans, Georgia, where the top-30 and ties will make the final round Saturday at Augusta National Golf Club.
Rose Zhang is the defending champion, defeating Jenny Bae in a playoff to claim her title. Anna Davis, who won her title in 2022, is the lone past champion in the field.
The best women’s amateur golfers in the world are in Georgia for the 54-hole stroke-play event that features a field of 72 players, this year led by 2022 champion Anna Davis and the world’s No. 1 amateur, Ingrid Lindblad.
After the first two rounds Wednesday and Thursday at Champions Retreat in nearby Evans, Georgia, the field is cut to the top 30 players for the final round on Saturday at Augusta National. All 72 players will play a practice round at Augusta National on Friday.
With a collection of this much talent, the first round on Thursday features a handful of must-watch groups:
Yana Wilson, Rocio Tejedo, Amanda Sambach (10th tee, 8:35 a.m. ET)
Ingrid Lindblad, Yuna Araki, Rachel Kuehn (1st tee, 9:44 a.m. ET)
Amari Avery, Julia Lopez Ramirez, Gianna Clemente (1st tee, 9:55 a.m. ET)
Check out the tee times and groupings for the first round at Champions Retreat.
Tee times Wednesday were delayed one hour because of weather.
Due to inclement weather conditions, first-round starting times for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur will be delayed one hour. Starting times will begin at 9 a.m. and ticket gates will open at 8 a.m. pic.twitter.com/43Y2Zo5lZV
— Augusta National Women's Amateur (@anwagolf) April 3, 2024
The first and second rounds on Wednesday and Thursday of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur will be live on Golf Channel from 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET.
NBC Sports will produce and broadcast three hours (Noon-3 p.m. ET) of live final-round coverage of the event at Augusta National on Saturday.
Additionally, Golf Channel’s “Live From the Masters” will commence on Friday, April 5, at Augusta National to provide coverage of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
After an opening round of 77 last year at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Lottie Woad stood over a 5-foot putt for birdie on the 18th, hands trembling. It was a straight putt, but sometimes straight putts can be the worst to face.
Was it really straight?
Woad needed to convert to shoot 69 at Champions Retreat Golf Club and qualify for Saturday’s final round at Augusta National. She trusted the line and made the putt and the cut on the number, becoming one of three English players to advance to the final round. Another was Woad’s Florida State teammate Charlotte Heath. Both return for a second AWNA start April 3-6 in Augusta, Georgia.
They’ll be joined by Mirabel Ting a sophomore transfer from Malaysia who began her college career at Augusta University, where she helped the program qualify for its first NCAA Championship last spring not long after losing her father.
“She is one of the few players I’ve ever had that literally hits the center of the clubface every time,” said FSU coach Amy Bond. “The wear pattern on her 8-iron is perfect.”
Last month, Ting returned to Augusta for the Valspar Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills, which she won. Bond said Ting was understandably nervous heading back to Augusta after she left the program, but a couple of warm hugs in the parking lot from familiar faces help lighten the mood.
“Any kid of substance is going to be nervous going back to where they transferred from,” said Bond.
As Ting makes her ANWA debut, Woad, currently No. 4 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, will once again have English national coach Steve Robinson on the bag. Robinson also works as a performance coach for U.S. Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick and took notes from Fitzpatrick’s caddie last year about how to handle the elevation.
Lottie Woad (courtesy FSU athletics)
Heath, who will have a local caddie on the bag, said playing a practice round with Robinson was massive because he’s particularly good at helping players map out a course – which hole locations are greens lights and which ones are red.
Heath, 22, has been a member of England’s women’s national squad since age 17 and was part of the girls team two years prior to that.
“It’s been a real team,” said Heath of the cohesiveness of Team England. “Everyone wants everyone to do well. We’re texting each other year-round, really making time for each other.”
The big family atmosphere that Health describes rings familiar to other national systems. Team Sweden, for example, makes it a point to involve successful pros in its training programs so that the wisdom can be passed down.
Earlier this week, the USGA announced the inaugural U.S. National Junior Team, which is composed initially of 10 girls and eight boys. The plan is to grow the team to 30 boys and 30 girls over the next three years. Two members of the girls team – Asterisk Talley and Gianna Clemente – are in the ANWA field.
Former USC men’s head coach Chris Zambri, the first head coach for the U.S. National Development Program will be onsite in Augusta. Zambri began his role with the program last November.
“It’s about time,” said Bond. “Now our American players can start getting the funding and support they need.”
The first time Bond had a chance to watch Woad in person after Covid-19 travel restrictions lifted was at the 2022 R&A Girls Amateur at famed Carnoustie, where Woad beat Spain’s Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, 7 and 6, in the championship match. Bond thought she’d hit the jackpot.
The long-hitting Woad has six top-8 finishes this season for FSU, including a win at the Annika Intercollegiate last fall, where she co-medaled with three other players. It was a strange little stretch for Woad, who pulled a hamstring, cut her finger making a bagel and hit herself on the bridge of her nose with her 4-wood during the tournament. Coaches feared the whack might have caused a concussion.
The elder Heath has warmly looked after Woad during her time in Tallahassee. Heath had a chance to play for an LPGA card last December but opted to skip the final stage of Q-Series and head back to school for a final semester. She’ll graduate in May with a degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences.
“I’m hoping not to use it,” she said.
While Woad turns heads with her long game, Bond calls Health’s short game one of the best she’s ever seen. It’s no wonder that they’ve partnered in foursomes a couple times for Team England and shot 8 under both times.
Heath, who won the Smyth Salver for low-amateur honors at last year’s AIG Women’s British Open, recently made a change in swing instructors, opting for a U.S.-based coach as she heads onto the Epson Tour this summer. Her ball position had gotten too far forward and she was coming over the top and lunging at the ball, Bond said. She’s already made vast improvements.
“It takes a lot of guts right before you’re going to turn pro to say I need to make a change and I need to make it now,” said Bond. “That’s a leap.”
Bond described Woad as a high-IQ player who works tirelessly on her game. Once a month Bond gets on a call with Woad and her swing coach, Luke Bone, to nitpick her game because she has such a good handle on the overall picture
Augusta National pays for one loved one to make the trip over to watch the action and that’s a big deal for international players like Woad and Heath. Woad’s 85-year-old grandmother will make her first trip to the U.S. in the coming days along with her father and an aunt. Heath’s parents will be there, too.
The ANWA is at the top of the heap when it comes to amateur golf, said Woad. And she’s not just talking about the trophy.
“When I was out there playing Augusta National,” said Woad, “and you have the crowds of young girls and boys watching. It’s a little bit more than us playing a golf tournament, honestly.”
