AUGUSTA NATIONAL
WOMEN’S AMATEUR BY
THE NUMBERS
6
NOT SO RARE
Wearing the green jacket on Sunday after
winning your first major championship?
Seems like a dream, right? It’s not as
uncommon as you think. In fact, since
2011, every Masters champion save for
one has made Augusta their first (or only)
major win. It started with Charl Schwart-
zel in 2011. Bubba Watson and Adam Scott
won in the following two years, with Wat-
son adding a second title in 2014. The next
four winners were all first-time major
champs: Jordan Spieth, Danny Willett,
Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed.
ROSE BLOOMS?
Justin Rose ascended to No. 1 in the Offi-
cial World Golf Ranking earlier in 2019,
and he’s knocked on the door with run-
ner-up finishes in 2015 and 2017—when
he lost in a playoff to Garcia. His track
record at Augusta points to him finally
breaking through at some point.
“It starts by just driving up Magnolia
Lane and feeling good and having good
energy and feels about the place,” Rose
vsga.org
Duke freshman Gina Kim will compete in the
inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
said before last year’s event. “That sort of
love affair started my very first Masters in
2003. So I had positive experiences here,
so it’s become a happy hunting ground.”
One that would be even happier should
he don the green jacket come Sunday.
AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN’S
AMATEUR
For the first time, the Saturday before the
Masters belongs to the top female amateurs
in the world. The 54-hole Augusta National
Women’s Amateur makes its debut in 2019,
with 72 players beginning the event with
two rounds at nearby Champions Retreat
Golf Club. The top 30 after 54 holes will play
the final round at Augusta National on April
6, though everyone in the field will have an
opportunity for a practice round at Augusta
National April 5.
NBC will broadcast the final round from
Noon-3 p.m.
CHAMPIONS OF MAJOR AMATEUR
EVENTS INVITED (U.S. Women’s Amateur,
Ladies’ British Open Amateur Championship,
Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, U.S. Girls’
Junior, Girls’ British Open Amateur Champi-
onship, Girls Junior PGA Championship)
2
MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP EXEMPTIONS
in 2019 available to the winner (U.S. Wom-
en’s Open, Women’s British Open)
41
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS IN THE
FIELD. There are 31 Americans participating.
25
INCLUDING THE U.S., NUMBER OF
NATIONS represented at the event.
M A R C H / A P R I L 2 0 19 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
25