Olivia Mehaffey and Julie McCarthy have accepted invites to compete at the second Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which will take place from March 31- April 3 in Georgia.
Invitations to the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur were sent in the month of January and 85 players to date have been confirmed for the championship with Arizona State star Mehaffey set to make her second appearance at the event.
“On behalf of the membership at Augusta National, it is my distinct honour and privilege to welcome these talented competitors to the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur,” said Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament.
“While the wait for the return of this championship has been longer than expected, the excitement generated by the sportsmanship and competitive spirit showcased in the inaugural edition still resonates with us today. We look forward to hosting this elite field this spring and showcasing the future of the women’s game.”
Mehaffey described the inaugural event in 2019 as “the best experience of my life so far” as she claimed a top-25 finish at the Cathedral in the Pines. The world number 17 ranked amateur opted to compete at the ANA Inspiration last year instead of taking up a second invite, though the event was eventually cancelled anyway due to Covid-19 with Mehaffey going on to make her first cut at a women’s Major at the ANA.
This time around she’ll be joined by good friend, Julie McCarthy in Augusta. The Forrest Little golfer is ranked 63rd on the world charts after a difficult spell with injuries in recent times. An ever-present for Auburn University, the 22-year old returned to action in October with a top-10 at the Blessings Intercollegiate in her final appearance of 2020.
Beginning the week prior to the 85th Masters Tournament, the international field will compete across 54 holes of stroke play, with a cut to 30 players taking place after 36 holes. The first two rounds will take place on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club on Wednesday, March 31 and Thursday, April 1. The entire field will then play Augusta National for an official practice round Friday, April 2. The final round will take place at Augusta National on Saturday, April 3 and will feature the competitors who made the cut.
Jennifer Kupcho, who now competes on the LPGA Tour, was the champion of the inaugural championship in 2019. The 2020 Augusta National Women’s Amateur was cancelled due to the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. NBC Sports will produce and broadcast three hours (Noon – 3:00 PM ET) of live final-round coverage of the event at Augusta National. Golf Channel will deliver on-site highlights, live reports and news coverage throughout the event. Additionally, Golf Channel’s “Live From the Masters” will commence on Friday, April 2 at Augusta National to provide coverage of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals and the Masters Tournament. Tickets to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur are sold out following an online ticket application process. No tickets will be available at the gates.
Player biographies are available on the event’s official website HERE. For more information, please visit ANWAgolf.com and follow the event’s official social media channels (@ANWAgolf) across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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