Augusta National Women's Amateur

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.

Augusta National
Women's Amateur
Tournament information
LocationAugusta, Georgia, U.S.
Established2019
Course(s)Augusta National Golf Club
(final round)
Champions Retreat Golf Club
(first 36 holes, in Evans)
(Island & Bluff nines)
Par72
Length6,365 yards (5,820 m)
Organized byAugusta National Golf Club
FormatStroke play – 54 holes
Month playedApril
Tournament record score
Aggregate206 Jennifer Kupcho (2019)
To par−10 as above
Current champion
Jennifer Kupcho
Augusta 
Location in the United States
Augusta 
Location in Georgia

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] A practice round is played on Friday at Augusta National with the full field. 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. 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

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. Although concerns were raised that the event would conflict with the LPGA Tour's first major, the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills Country Club (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]

History

The inaugural tournament in 2019 was highlighted by a final found 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, for which she was awarded a set of crystal goblets, the same award that participants in The Masters receive for carding an eagle.[9]

On April 6, 2020, Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley announced that the 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ridley said that any woman invited to the 2020 tournament would be eligible in 2021, provided she remains an amateur at the time of the tournament.[10][11]

Course
Main article: Augusta National Golf Club
HoleNameYardsParHoleNameYardsPar
1Tea Olive365410Camellia4504
2Pink Dogwood515511White Dogwood4004
3Flowering Peach340412Golden Bell1453
4Flowering Crab Apple170313Azalea4555
5Magnolia400414Chinese Fir3804
6Juniper165315Firethorn4755
7Pampas330416Redbud1453
8Yellow Jasmine480517Nandina3704
9Carolina Cherry395418Holly3854
Out3,16036In3,20536
Source:[12]Total6,36572

Winners
YearDatesChampionCountryWinning scoreTo parMargin
of victory		Runner-up
2020Cancelled
2019Apr 3–6Jennifer Kupcho United States68-71-67=206−104 strokes María Fassi

Media coverage

The final round of the tournament was televised by NBC.[2][13]

References
  1. "Augusta National Women's Amateur". Champions Retreat Golf Club. 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  2. "Augusta National Women's Amateur Fact Sheet". Augusta National Women's Amateur. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  3. Hiltzik, Michael (March 31, 2012). "Augusta National's woman problem". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  4. "Augusta Chairman Billy Payne refused to comment on female memberships". Golf.com. April 4, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  5. "Augusta National admits two women, including Condoleezza Rice". USA Today. August 20, 2012. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  6. Shipnuck, Alan (April 6, 2004). "Taking on The Times". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  7. Herrington, Ryan (April 4, 2018). "Masters 2018: Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship to debut in 2019". Golf Digest. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
  8. 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.
  9. Scott, Roxanna (October 10, 2019). "Cool Masters tradition extends to Jennifer Kupcho months after ANWA win". Golfweek. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  10. "2020 Augusta National Women's Amateur Canceled". anwagolf.com. April 6, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  11. Zak, Sean (April 6, 2020). "2020 Augusta National Women's Amateur canceled". Golf.com. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  12. "The courses: Augusta National". Augusta National Women's Amateur. 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  13. Lavner, Ryan (September 12, 2018). "NBC to broadcast inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur". Golf Channel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.

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