Lavigne Has “Unforgettable Day” at Augusta National
by Dwayne Tingley
Carter Lavigne may never face this kind of pressure again and he handled it with grace beyond his years.
The nine-year-old from Moncton competed at the national Drive, Chip and Putt finals on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club – meaning he played the same 18th green and share a clubhouse with the best players in the world.
“It was all kind of surreal,” said Carter’s father, Darsey. “He was in the same practice area as guys like Sergio Garcia, Fred Couples and Vijay Singh. The whole thing was amazing and so well organized, down the finest details. Just incredible.”
Carter admits the experience was unforgettable, but he was never overwhelmed.
“I had a lot of fun,” the Grade 4 student said. “I got to see a lot of very good players and I got to play at an amazing place. I was happy with the way everything went, but I could have played better.”
Carter, who plays out of the Moncton Golf and Country Club, qualified for the national event by winning or placing second at events last year in Maine, Massachusetts and New York.
More than 17,000 youngsters attempted to qualify and only the top 80 advanced to compete at Augusta. Carter qualified in the 7 to 9 year-old category, which featured nine other players.
Carter and Darsey arrived in Georgia four days before the competition to play some practice rounds.
On Sunday, Carter, his dad, his mother Melissa, two-year-old sister Lainey and five-month-old sister Everly were ceremoniously driven down fabled Magnolia Lane to the practice range, where the young New Brunswicker was working on his swing beside several pros.
Fifteen minutes later, the competition was on and it was being shown on the Golf Channel.
Carter topped his first drive before connecting for a solid 140-yard effort on his second and final rip.
Later, his chipping and putting worked out the same way. His first attempts were not up to his usual level, but he rebounded with a better showing in his second attempts.
“There was a lot pressure, with a lot of attention and big crowds everywhere,” Darsey said. “I don’t think he’ll every face that kind of situation again, no matter what he does in golf in the future.
“I know he realizes he could have done better, but I was proud of the way he handled it. He congratulated the other players and he was happy when they did well. It wasn’t his best day, but I was very proud of what he accomplished.”
Carter called it a learning experience, noting he never thought he could play in such a stressful situation, but he was pleased to find out differently.
“I’d like to try it again,” he said. “I’m going to try and qualify again so I can come back next year.”
Carter wound up finishing 10th, but Darsey reminded him of the difficult road he followed just to qualify.
Carter said he received lots of calls and messages of encouragement from golfers back home.
“We will never forget how much support we had in Moncton and all-over New Brunswick,” Darsey said. “We just want to tell everyone how much we appreciate their support. It made the whole experience even more special.”
Kupcho wins at Augusta National with charge on back 9
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The charge on the back nine at Augusta National was among the best, this one by a woman.
NCAA champion Jennifer Kupcho, trailing by two shots and coping with remnants of a migraine Saturday, hit hybrid to 6 feet on the par-5 13th for an eagle and finished with three birdies on the last four holes to become the first woman to win at the home of the Masters.
The 2017 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion closed with a 5-under 67 for a four-shot victory over Maria Fassi in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“You’re now part of the history at Augusta National,” club chairman Fred Ridley told her in Butler Cabin, where Masters champions receive their green jacket.
Kupcho hit the opening tee shot on Wednesday at Champions Retreat, where the opening two rounds were played. More importantly, she hit the final shot with a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at Augusta National to cap off a big week for her and for women’s golf.
The club didn’t have a female member until 2012, and now there are six. Ridley announced last year the creation of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur to provide a spark for women’s golf.
“I think we’re going to really start something great in women’s golf,” Kupcho said at the trophy presentation.
It featured all the heritage of Augusta National, including honorary tee shots by Nancy Lopez, Lorena Ochoa, Se Ri Pak and Annika Sorenstam. The crowd was larger than any of the 30 players who made the cut had ever experienced.
Kupcho did her part with a bold finish at perhaps the most iconic venue in golf.
“Just to play here at Augusta and have that kind of treatment, I think the woman’s game is really going to come out stronger,” she said, adding later that “there’s no bigger stage than this for amateur golf.”
Kupcho, the No. 1 player in the women’s amateur ranking, finished at 10-under 206 and won a silver bowl as the trophy, along with a piece of crystal – another Masters tradition – for making the only eagle of the tournament.
Sorenstam and Lopez say they had to fight tears when they walked to the first tee and soaked up the reality of a tournament for women at Augusta National. The crowd featured more women than typically seen during the Masters, especially young girls with their parents. Sorenstam and her daughter walked with the final group.
The golf was superb, at least at the top of the leaderboard.
Only six women finished under par, and no one challenged Kupcho or Fassi, a senior at Arkansas from Mexico. Both sent a message of their own long before the tournament by earning LPGA Tour cards last year and deferring until after they finished college.
Fassi, who started one shot behind, took her first lead with a pitch over the mounds to 2 feet for birdie on the par-5 eighth. Kupcho had reason to believe she was in trouble when a migraine surfaced, causing vision so blurry she couldn’t see the line she marks on her ball while putting. She three-putted the 10th to fall two behind, and sat on a bench at the 11th tee to gather herself.
“It started to go away, and I was able to see,” she said. “I knew I was going to be able to do it.”
She learned in the practice round on the 13th fairway that even with the ball above her feet on the severely sloped fairway, the shot tends to go straight. From 211 yards with a 3-hybrid, she took dead aim and the shot settled 6 feet above the hole for eagle.
“Probably one of the best shots I’ve ever hit,” she said.
Fassi answered with a 10-foot birdie putt to regain the lead, and Kupcho decided to aim her 3-hybrid to the bunker right of the green on the par-5 15th. Instead, it came out with a sharp draw, with enough distance to roll by the pin just over the back, setting up a birdie.
“She’s not afraid to be great, and that’s what makes her great,” Fassi said.
Tied again, she delivered the winner with a 7-iron on the par-3 16th that caught the ridge and fed down to the hole. Fassi’s tee shot stayed on the top shelf, leading to a three-putt that put the tournament in Kupcho’s hands.
“It’s amazing what we were able to have out here today,” Fassi said. “The ending wasn’t what I would have liked. She was hitting great shots. I did all I could. She played a great game and I’m really proud of her.”
Along the way, their friendship and sportsmanship was on full display. Fassi hugged her when Kupcho hit 6-iron to 2 feet on No. 6 for birdie. Kupcho patted her friend’s shoulder when Fassi answered with a shot that rolled back to a foot for birdie on the next hole.
That’s what Kupcho hopes young people took out of the moment, as much as women playing at Augusta.
“I think both of us just wanted to send the message that golf is about having friends, and to be out there with her, we were cheering each other on, and that’s kind of how golf is supposed to be,” Kupcho said. “And to make it look fun. It is fun. So to make it look that way for everyone watching, I hope it encourages people to pick up a club and go play.”
Canada’s Nicole Gal wins Drive, Chip and Putt division at Augusta
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Canadian streak at the Drive, Chip and Putt championship continues with a victory from Oakville, Ont., native Nicole Gal.
Gal, 15, won the Girls’ 14-15 age division by a one-point margin, finishing with 23 points total to edge out the competition. Gal collected the most points at the driving portion, nabbing nine out of a possible 10 points, followed by eight at chipping and six at driving.
Words from the #DriveChipPutt champ, Nicole Gal ??
Canada is so proud! ?? pic.twitter.com/VrdrU6nRNi
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 7, 2019
This is the third Drive, Chip and Putt title for Canada—Vanessa Borovilos won her division in 2018 and Savannah Grewal captured Canada’s first title in 2017.
More to come…
Canadian Corey Conners wins Valero days after qualifying, will play Masters
SAN ANTONIO – Canadian Corey Conners claimed his first PGA Tour victory and earned an invite to the Masters on Sunday, winning the Valero Texas Open less than a week after qualifying.
Conners only entered the tournament field Monday, and he’s the first golfer to win on the PGA Tour after qualifying on a Monday in nine years. He made three birdies in the final five holes, shooting a 6-under 66. He was 20-under for the tournament, winning by two shots over Charley Hoffman.
Next stop for Conners: Augusta, Georgia, for next week’s Masters.
Hoffman, the 2016 Texas Open winner, shot 67 for 18-under on the weekend.
Ryan Moore closed with an 8-under 64, a shot off the course record, and was third at 17-under.
Si Woo Kim, The Players Championship winner in 2017, led the opening three rounds but dropped to a tie for fourth with Brian Stuard (15-under) after an even-par 72.
Conners, the 2014 U.S. Amateur runner-up, will play in his second Masters. Two of the top three finishers last year at Augusta missed the top 10 this week. Rickie Fowler was tied for 17th while 10 strokes back at 10-under with a final-round 69, and Jordan Spieth (72) was 7-under.
Incredible performance from @coreconn. What a battle, and what a champion ??? pic.twitter.com/PnembdLq9q
— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) April 7, 2019
Stuard finished with 66 to get to 15-under. Kevin Streelman closed with an 8-under 64 and was 14-under. He missed tying the course record when, after four-straight birdies, he hit his approach from the 18th fairway into the gallery and bogeyed.
Mackenzie Hughes (73) of Dundas, Ont., and Adam Svensson (70) of Surrey, B.C., tied for 42nd at 5 under. Nick Taylor (72) of Abbotsford, B.C., tied for 52nd at 4 under.
It was a wild round for Conners, a native of Listowel, Ont., who had not won on any of the PGA Tour’s affiliated circuits. He had 10 birdies and four pars that sandwiched four consecutive bogeys on the front nine.
He had a one-stroke lead when he rammed home a 34-foot birdie putt at No. 12, and stayed a stroke up with a tap-in birdie at the 14th.
Moore joined Conners at the top of the leaderboard with an 8-foot putt at No. 16 that was his fourth birdie in five holes.
Moore missed a birdie opportunity on the next hole when he couldn’t convert on a putt from inside 10 feet. Minutes later, Conners sank a 10-footer to save par at No. 15, then hit to four feet to set up a birdie at the 175-yard par-3 16th. His birdie at No. 17 gave him a three-shot lead walking up the final hole.
Conners looked like he would tuck this one away early. He birdied four of the first five holes at TPC San Antonio. Trailing by a shot going in the final round, he benefited from a three-stroke swing on the leaderboard on the third hole with a 10-foot putt on the par-3. Kim hit into the water fronting the green and double-bogeyed. Later in the day, Kim was grabbing at his right upper body with an apparent injury.
Conners was two strokes ahead, and with birdies on the next two holes he led by four over both Kim and Hoffman.
But Conners bogeyed the next four, and three of those came after tee shots put him in nice position either from the middle of the fairway or close to it.
The other bogey, on a par-3 at No. 7, he hit his tee shot into a bunker, then blasted over the green.
He made the turn and clicked off three consecutive birdies. The last player to qualify on Monday and win a PGA Tour event was Arjun Atwal in 2010 at the Wyndham Championship. That was the first time it had been done in 24 years.
Do you know the changes coming to golf’s handicap system?
Old Man Winter is finally loosening his grip on golf courses across the country and many of you are already shaking off the rust of a Canadian winter and heading to the first tee, ready to post those scores for handicap purposes.
Good for you!
But did you know that those scores can only be posted in Canada during what is called the “Active Season” in your province?
While some lucky folks in more temperate climes (that’s you, British Columbia) can already post their scores, the rest of us have to wait until the middle of April or later.
From west to east, Active Seasons are: B.C., March 1-Nov. 15; Alberta, March 1-Oct. 31; Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia, April 15-Oct. 31; New Brunswick, May 1-Oct. 31; P.E.I., April 16-Nov. 14; Newfoundland and Labrador, May 1-Oct. 15.
Why is there such a thing as an “Active Season”?
“Active Season exists to help eliminate scores that might adversely affect the calculation of a handicap because they are generally not played under what we call `mid-season` playing conditions,” said Craig Loughry, Golf Canada’s representative on the World Handicap Committee.
“Generally, outside the Active Season, conditions are soggy, wet, lots of leaves (potential lost ball or bad lie), cool, etc., which makes the course play a little longer and different than mid-season (virtually little to no roll on tee shots, which means a loss per drive of about 20 yards. On an average course that has 14 driving holes, that could mean a 280-yard difference just on yardage alone.
“Greens are also much more receptive and generally slow compared to mid-season. It’s a combination of these things which distort how the course plays from which it was rated (we assume mid-season when the majority of rounds are played) and what the expected scores would be in optimum conditions, so we set an Active Season to help mitigate the effect of scores played in the shoulder season.”
While those dates aren’t likely to change in 2020, there will be a significant updating of the handicap system starting Jan. 1 when the new World Handicap System is implemented.
For the past four years, Loughry has represented Canada as Golf Canada’s representative on the World Handicap Committee, sitting beside the other major golf associations from around the globe in an effort to make the system more equitable, flexible, consistent and understandable.
Significantly, the committee—Loughry calls it “the United Nations of handicapping”—will meet in Toronto this fall, its first gathering ever outside the United States, Britain and Europe.
“We hope by informing golfers of the impending changes this far in advance, they will have the opportunity to review the changes and comment on them,” Loughry says.
A limit of net double bogey per hole will be allowed for handicapping purposes and the maximum Handicap Index will be set at 54.0, regardless of gender, to encourage more golfers to measure and track their performance to increase their enjoyment of the game.
Perhaps the most obvious change for Canadians is that the term “Handicap Factor” used in this country for years will become “Handicap Index” to align with the USGA terminology and which will be used worldwide. But the new system will adopt Canada’s practice of updating handicaps daily in all countries, as opposed to the current USGA model.
A list of 9 useful tips for the World Handicap System can be found here.
The committee’s research shows that your Index is unlikely to change significantly from your previous Factor. Only 54 holes worth of scores will be required for an initial Index and your Index will eventually be averaged using the best eight of your last 20 scores posted.
One very notable innovation is the Playing Conditions Calculation which “analyzes how players have performed that day compared to their expected performance on that golf course. It will naturally include weather and course setup (reflected in the scores) and if expected results fall outside a tolerance level, an adjustment will apply to all scores played on that course for that day.”
Have a look at the changes and take advantage of the opportunity to comment.
As for me, when the Active Season starts here in Ontario, I’ll already be posting scores via the Golf Canada app from South Carolina where the Active Season never ends. My snow blower’s broken.
Go Golf Moncton Consumer Golf Show to take place April 6 & 7
Written by Dwayne Tingley
Cecil Rasmussen calls it old home week for golfers.
Rasmussen is the director of Go Golf Moncton, an extensive pre-season golf show scheduled for this weekend.
“You see all of the golfers come out after a long winter and they enjoy each other’s company,” Rasmussen said.
“They get together and love to talk about golf,” she added. “They talk about their plans for the summer and they get to see what the golf clubs are offering. It’s a great gathering – it’s a lot like old home week.”
The third annual Go Golf Moncton will run Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily at the Moncton Lions Club on Mark Avenue, near Harrison Trimble High School.
Rasmussen, who is also the clubhouse manager of Maplewood Golf and Country Club, said the show attracted 1,200 visitors last year and there are indications the number will increase this weekend.
“Our feedback has been very good,” she said. “People liked the show last year and there has been a lot of talk on social media. Spring is here and the golfers are eager to get going. The show is like the unofficial start of the golf season in New Brunswick.”
The show will feature more exhibitors than last year, including 14 clubs. Maplewood, Lakeside, Hampton, Mountain Woods, Sussex, Stonehurst, Digby Pines, Amherst, Country Meadows, Memramcook, Hillsborough, Pine Needles, Petitcodiac and Bouctouche will all be represented at the show.
Representatives from Golf New Brunswick, Vesey’s (golf cart suppliers), Voxxlife (athletic socks) and Fair Haven funeral home will also be on hand.
“People are getting antsy and the golfers can hardly wait for the season to start,” the show’s director said. “Meeting old friends and talking golf is a great way to spend the day.”
Golf New Brunswick technical director Bari Gourley is looking forward to the show. Golf NB will meet officials from partner courses, talk about the association with visitors and sell its 2019 Golf NB 2 For 1 Cards that feature a single use 2 for 1 coupon at 23 courses in the provinces.
The association will also promote the benefits of becoming a gold member of Golf NB and Golf Canada.
“There will also be a putting mat for people to hit a few putts and challenge their friends,” said Gourley, who is also a PGA of Canada teaching professional.
“We will have our boom room, which is a 10-foot high inflatable driving range so junior golfers can come and hit golf balls,” she said. “It is a great way to get kids interested in golf and for those that already play, they can get a few swings in early.”
Gourley will be on hand to give swing tips. She will also hold seminars at 1:30 p.m. each day. Saturday’s theme will be: “Yes, you can hit a golf ball straight” and Sunday’s theme will be: Short game secrets.”
Golf NB will also be handing out a one-page sheet, explaining the “20 Must Know Rules of Golf For 2019”.
Admission to Go Golf Moncton is just $8 or $15 for two. Free green fees for Maplewood, Lakeside, Hillsborough, Bouctouche and Petitcodiac will be included in the admission fee.
There will be a putting contest with a $5 fee and all proceeds will go to breast cancer research.
“There is going to be a lot to do and see,” Rasmussen said. “Once the golfers go to the show, they’ll begin their countdown to actually get on the course.”
National Golf Day set for May 1, 2019
The Canadian golf industry represented by We Are Golf (formerly the National Allied Golf Association) has officially announced that May 1, 2019 has been tabbed as National Golf Day in Canada.
The date aligns with the We Are Golf initiative spearheaded out of the United States—also set for May 1, 2019—and will bring further attention to the game of golf and its significant community impact within not only Canada, but across North America.
We are Golf is comprised of all the national golf associations within Canada—Golf Canada, the Canadian Society of Club Managers, the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, the PGA of Canada and the National Golf Course Owners Association Canada.
Planning for National Golf Day is underway with several activities to build upon the success of the inaugural 2018 event which included government advocacy and discussion with MPs in Ottawa, a public junior golf activity on the Parliament Hill lawn and various golf activities at clubs across Canada. The continuation of National Golf Day in Canada in 2019 will again incorporate meetings by We Are Golf stakeholders with MPs and government officials.
“We are looking forward to building upon the success of our 2018 National Golf Day and government advocacy efforts in Ottawa and continue to bring the positive value of the game of golf to the forefront,” said We Are Golf chair, Kathryn Wood. “National Golf Day will be a tremendous catalyst for golf enthusiasts to rally and celebrate what the sport of golf means to them and their community.”
Each member association representing We Are Golf is also encouraging their respective memberships, partners and stakeholders to participate in National Golf Day in their own way to celebrate the significant economic, health, recreational, charitable and tourism benefits that golf drives in communities from coast to coast.
We Are Golf is calling on the entire golf community as well as partner associations and golfers to engage in National Golf Day as a can’t miss event on the Canadian golf calendar.
Golf enthusiasts across Canada are encouraged to get involved in National Golf Day by playing a round of golf, visiting a course or practice facility, enjoying family time at the course, introducing a new player to the game, adopting a school in their community through Golf in Schools, hosting a school golf field trip, taking a lesson, or making a purchase at their local pro shop.
Please visit http://wearegolf.ca/ to learn more, and to access a social media toolkit to promote the day and get involved!
Adopt a School Week set to return April 22
From April 22-26, Golf Canada will be celebrating all donations made towards the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program in support of the third annual Adopt a School Week.
The week represents a coast-to-coast celebration to mark the efforts of all Golf in Schools adoptions. Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of the over 3,800 registered schools delivering the curriculum. Together, Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), and all provincial partners have aligned to celebrate the generosity of golf enthusiasts across the country.
“Golf Canada recognizes the many investments made by Canadians across the country in support of the Golf in Schools program,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “It is in the industry’s best interest to support the continued growth of the sport at the grassroots level, which in turn benefits the future membership of facilities.”
For the first 30 adoptions, any golf facility, PGA of Canada professional or individual who adopts a school into the Golf in Schools program from April 22-26 will see their adoption matched with a school of their choice. This matching grant is possible due to Golf Canada’s partnership with the Canadian Seniors Golf Association (CSGA).
In 2018, 263 new schools were adopted, introducing an average of 120 students per school to golf.
A Golf in Schools donation includes the full program kit, which features safe, age-appropriate golf clubs along with a teacher-friendly learning resource. Developed in conjunction with the PGA of Canada and Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada, the learning resource incorporates Life Skills into the curriculum—placing added focus on transferrable skills both on and off the golf course.
The Intrapersonal Life Skills—perseverance, goal-setting and emotional regulation—are meant to instill focus while the Interpersonal Life Skills—honesty, teamwork and respect—embody a sense of sportspersonship.
Following Adopt a School Week, Golf Canada will be announcing all elementary, intermediate and high school adoptions conducted in 2019.
To adopt a school in your community, visit golfcanada.ca/adoptaschool
SickKids Foundation named official charity partner for 2019 CP Women’s Open
TORONTO – Canadian Pacific (CP) and Golf Canada today announced that SickKids Foundation has been chosen as the primary charity partner for the 2019 Canadian Pacific Women’s Open.
The 2019 CP Women’s Open will see Canadian sensation and CP ambassador Brooke Henderson defend her national golf title against the top LPGA Tour players in the world from August 19-25 at Magna Golf Club, in Aurora, Ont.
“CP is elated to be working with SickKids Foundation through the 2019 CP Women Open,” said CP’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Keith Creel. “This is a natural partnership as CP is focused on giving back through our community investment program, CP Has Heart, and SickKids Foundation is focused on helping young hearts across Ontario – a province that has been integral to our network for more than 130 years.”
This year, CP will be working with Kyle Hayhoe, a child ambassador for SickKids Foundation. Kyle was cared for at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) for four months after he was diagnosed with a hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy at only seven weeks old and required a heart transplant. Now, when Kyle isn’t attending his regular check-ups with the heart transplant, respiratory and nephrology teams at SickKids, he can be found on the golf course perfecting his swing.
Funds raised through the CP Women’s Open will go towards renovating a Cardiac Operating Suite at SickKids. In addition, CP is also proud to support our tournament host community this year. CP will make a donation of $250,000 to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont. to support paediatric cardiac care.
“We appreciate the generous support of the community and are extremely grateful to our partners CP, Golf Canada and the CP Women’s Open,” said SickKids Foundation CEO, Ted Garrard. “Funds raised through this partnership will help continue to advance cardiac care that will deliver better outcomes for our patients who come from all across Canada, for many years to come.”
In the five years of CP’s title sponsorship of the CP Women’s Open, $8.5 million has been raised to support children’s heart health in Canada. This will mark the third time in six years southern Ontario has hosted the CP Women’s Open resulting in more than $3.3 million dollars invested in London (2014 – $1.3 million) and Ottawa (2016 – $2 million)
“I can’t say enough about the incredible work CP does through the CP Has Heart campaign – they are an absolute terrific partner who are helping to make a meaningful impact in the lives of countless Canadians,” said Golf Canada’s CEO, Laurence Applebaum. “Tournament week will be a fantastic showcase of world-class golf and charitable giving in support of SickKids Foundation.”
In 2018, Brooke Henderson became the first Canadian to win the country’s National Open Championship in 45 years, shooting 65 in the final-round for a four-stroke victory at the CP Women’s Open in Regina, Sask. Jocelyne Bourassa was the last Canadian to win the event, when she was crowned Canadian champion in 1973.
“On behalf of all Canadian golf fans, I’m eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see Canadian golf superstar Brooke Henderson defend her title,” added Applebaum.
This is the first time the Greater Toronto Area will play host to a major LPGA Tour event since 2001, when the event was held at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham. The 2019 CP Women’s Open will run August 19-25, 2019 at Magna Golf Club in Aurora.
Tickets and corporate hosting are available for purchase at www.cpwomensopen.com.
Canada’s Thibault to play inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur
AUGUSTA, GA – The field for the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship is taking shape as the tournament announced the first 66 players who accepted invitations into the 72-player field for the April 3-6 event.
Included in the field announcement is Team Canada member Brigitte Thibault. The 20-year-old, who is a native of Rosemère, Que., is currently the highest ranked Canadian (221) on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings. Thibault is a sophomore at Fresno State.
Other commitments include three players who earned their exemptions by winning recognized events, 55 qualifiers from the final Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking of 2018 and eight committee picks. The remaining spots will be filled by the tournament committee.
Forty of the top 50 women’s amateurs in the world, including five of the top 10, are set to tee it up,
(Starting this year, winners of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur will receive a five-year exemption into the championship.)
The first 36 holes of the 54-hole Augusta National Women’s Amateur will be played at Champions Retreat Golf Club with the top 30 and ties making the cut and competing at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6. Players who qualify for the final round will play in a practice round at Augusta National on April 5.
NBC will broadcast the final round from noon-3 p.m. ET with Golf Channel providing highlights, live reports and news coverage during the event.
Tickets to the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur are sold out following an online ticket application process. No tickets will be available at the gates.
Click here for more info on the event, including a look at all the players currently in the field.