Augusta National Women's Amateur
 | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Augusta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Established | 2019 |
| Course(s) | Augusta National Golf Club (final round) Champions Retreat Golf Club (first 36 holes, in Evans) (Island & Bluff nines) |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,365 yards (5,820 m) |
| Organized by | Augusta National Golf Club |
| Format | Stroke play – 54 holes |
| Month played | April |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 206 Jennifer Kupcho (2019) |
| To par | −10 as above |
| Current champion | |
 Lottie Woad | |
The Augusta National Women's Amateur (ANWA) is a golf tournament in Georgia, held at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta and Champions Retreat Golf Club in nearby Evans. The 54-hole stroke play event debuted in 2019.
The tournament is split between the two venues, with Champions Retreat hosting the opening rounds on Wednesday and Thursday with a field size of 72 players on the Island and Bluff nines.[1] The field is cut to the top 30 players (with a playoff for the last spots if necessary) for the final round Saturday at Augusta National. A practice round is played on Friday at Augusta National with the full field. The tournament is held on the week directly preceding the Masters Tournament.[2]
The winner of the tournament receives invitations to the next five ANWAs, that year's U.S. Women's Open and Women's British Open, and any USGA, R&A, and PGA of America amateur events for which she is otherwise eligible prior to the next ANWA – all providing she remains an amateur.[2]
Background
[edit]Until 2012, Augusta National refused to formally admit women as members. Before the 2012 Masters Tournament, then-chairman William Porter Payne cited that in 2011, more than 15% of the non-tournament rounds were played by female players who were member guests or spouses of active members.[3][4] On August 20, 2012, Augusta National admitted Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore as its first female members.[5][6]
Prior to the 2018 Masters Tournament, new Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced on April 4 that the club would host the Augusta National Women's Amateur beginning in 2019. He stated that holding such an event at Augusta National would have the "greatest impact" on women's golf.[7][8]
Concerns were raised that the event would conflict with the LPGA Tour's first major, the ANA Inspiration (which has invited top amateur players to compete), Ridley stated that he had discussed the event with commissioner Mike Whan, and stated that he agreed on the notion that any move to bolster the prominence of women's golf would be a "win" for the LPGA over time.[7][8] In 2021, as part of a new sponsorship agreement with Chevron Corporation, the ANA Inspiration was renamed The Chevron Championship, and was relocated to The Woodlands, Texas with a new, later scheduling beginning 2023.[9][10]
History
[edit]The inaugural tournament in 2019 was highlighted by a final round duel between eventual winner Jennifer Kupcho and María Fassi. Kupcho pulled away from Fassi by going five-under over the final six holes, winning by four strokes with a score of -10. Kupcho's back-nine performance included an eagle on the thirteenth hole. As with those who score an eagle during the Masters proper, Kupcho received a pair of inscribed crystal glasses for her achievement.[11][12]
The 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic (which caused the 2020 Masters Tournament to likewise be rescheduled to November). All players invited to the tournament were invited back for 2021, provided that they were still an amateur at the time of the tournament.[13][14]
Courses
[edit]Champions Retreat Golf Club
[edit]| Hole | Yards | Par | Hole | Yards | Par | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 385 | 4 | 10 | 385 | 4 | |
| 2 | 390 | 4 | 11 | 150 | 3 | |
| 3 | 485 | 5 | 12 | 375 | 4 | |
| 4 | 410 | 4 | 13 | 375 | 4 | |
| 5 | 385 | 4 | 14 | 515 | 5 | |
| 6 | 155 | 3 | 15 | 325 | 4 | |
| 7 | 325 | 4 | 16 | 390 | 4 | |
| 8 | 160 | 3 | 17 | 175 | 3 | |
| 9 | 475 | 5 | 18 | 500 | 5 | |
| Out | 3,170 | 36 | In | 3,190 | 36 | |
| Source:[15] | Total | 6,360 | 72 | |||
Augusta National Golf Club
[edit]| Hole | Name | Yards | Par | Hole | Name | Yards | Par | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tea Olive | 365 | 4 | 10 | Camellia | 450 | 4 | |
| 2 | Pink Dogwood | 515 | 5 | 11 | White Dogwood | 400 | 4 | |
| 3 | Flowering Peach | 340 | 4 | 12 | Golden Bell | 145 | 3 | |
| 4 | Flowering Crab Apple | 170 | 3 | 13 | Azalea | 455 | 5 | |
| 5 | Magnolia | 400 | 4 | 14 | Chinese Fir | 380 | 4 | |
| 6 | Juniper | 165 | 3 | 15 | Firethorn | 475 | 5 | |
| 7 | Pampas | 330 | 4 | 16 | Redbud | 145 | 3 | |
| 8 | Yellow Jasmine | 480 | 5 | 17 | Nandina | 370 | 4 | |
| 9 | Carolina Cherry | 395 | 4 | 18 | Holly | 385 | 4 | |
| Out | 3,160 | 36 | In | 3,205 | 36 | |||
| Source:[15] | Total | 6,365 | 72 | |||||
- For the Masters Tournament in 2018, the course was set at 7,435 yards (6,799 m).
Winners
[edit]| Year | Dates | Champion | Winning score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Apr 6 | Lottie Woad |
68-71-69=208 | −8 | 1 stroke |  Bailey Shoemaker
| |
| 2023 | Apr 1 | Rose Zhang |
66-65-76=207 | −9 | Playoff | Jenny Bae
| |
| 2022 | Apr 2 | Anna Davis |
70-76-69=215 | −1 | 1 stroke |  Ingrid Lindblad Latanna Stone
| |
| 2021 | Apr 3 |  Tsubasa Kajitani |
73-72-72=217 | +1 | Playoff | Emilia Migliaccio
| |
| 2020 | Cancelled | ||||||
| 2019 | Apr 6 | Jennifer Kupcho |
68-71-67=206 | −10 | 4 strokes |  María Fassi
| |
Media coverage
[edit]The final round of the tournament is televised by NBC.[2][16]
References
[edit]- ^ "Augusta National Women's Amateur". Champions Retreat Golf Club. 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Augusta National Women's Amateur Fact Sheet". Augusta National Women's Amateur. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ Hiltzik, Michael (March 31, 2012). "Augusta National's woman problem". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Augusta Chairman Billy Payne refused to comment on female memberships". Golf.com. April 4, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Augusta National admits two women, including Condoleezza Rice". USA Today. August 20, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Shipnuck, Alan (April 6, 2004). "Taking on The Times". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 30, 2004. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ a b Herrington, Ryan (April 4, 2018). "Masters 2018: Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship to debut in 2019". Golf Digest. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
- ^ a b Romine, Brentley (January 28, 2019). "Six players, including Arizona's Yu-Sang Hou, complete Augusta National Women's Amateur field". Golf Channel. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
- ^ Levins, Keely (October 5, 2021). "LPGA Tour making major changes to year's first major, with new name, purse, course and sponsor". Golf Digest. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ Murray, Ewan (October 5, 2021). "Women's golf major gains sponsor and bigger purse amid venue uncertainty". The Guardian. Retrieved October 7, 2021.
- ^ Beall, Joel (October 10, 2019). "A Masters tradition was extended to Augusta National Women's Amateur champ Jennifer Kupcho". Golf Digest. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
- ^ Scott, Roxanna (October 10, 2019). "Cool Masters tradition extends to Jennifer Kupcho months after ANWA win". Golfweek. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ "2020 Augusta National Women's Amateur Canceled". anwagolf.com. April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ Zak, Sean (April 6, 2020). "2020 Augusta National Women's Amateur canceled". Golf.com. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
- ^ a b "The courses: Augusta National". Augusta National Women's Amateur. 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ Lavner, Ryan (September 12, 2018). "NBC to broadcast inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur". Golf Channel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.