Augusta, Georgia, United States: With a stunning birdie-eagle finish, Eila Galitsky thrust herself into contention on the opening day of the fifth Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA).
Winner of the 2023 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP), Thai Galitsky’s explosive ending at Champions Retreat Golf Club saw her claim a share of second place with Italy’s Francesca Fiorellini and Swede Ingrid Lindblad at five-under 67.
They trail Scotland’s Hannah Darling, who set a new ANWA record for most birdies in a round with eight, including six birdies on her opening nine holes. She also tied the record for low first-round score, equalling Rose Zhang’s opening 66 in 2023.
Teeing-off in the second flight from the first tee, 17-year-old Galitsky turned in one-under 35 with birdies at the first and eighth and a bogey at the par-five ninth, her only dropped shot of the day.
Galitsky, who missed the cut on her ANWA debut last year, added a birdie at 12 but saved her best for last, holing out for a two at the short second and a three at the long 18th, the only eagle of the day there.
Joining Galitsky as Asia-Pacific representatives who bettered par were Malaysian Mirabel Ting (69, tied seventh) and Japan’s Hinano Muguruma (70, tied 12th) and Mamika Shinchi (71, tied 21st).
Following the completion of the second round at Champions Retreat on Thursday, a cut will be made with the top 30 players and ties from the elite 72-strong starting line-up advancing to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National Golf Club. All participants will play a practice round at Augusta National, the home of the Masters, on Friday.
After the first round, the Japanese trio of Yin Roshida, Sayaka Teraoka and Kokoro Nakamura are tied for 29th on even-par 72.
Heading into round two, the remaining seven Asia-Pacific players will all need to improve on their opening-day efforts if they’re to progress.
Rianne Malixi of the Philippines, Australian Maddison Hinson-Tolchard and Japan’s Suzuna Yokoyama shots 74s and share 44th place, while Yuna Araki and Saori Iijima, both from Japan, are joint 52nd on 75.
Indian Avani Prashanth was left to rue a poor finish to both nines as she posted a 76, while Chinese Taipei’s Wu Chun-wei was unable to make the most of a fast start as she slipped to a 78.
Setting out from the 10th hole, Wu, winner of the 2024 WAAP in Thailand in February, was two-under through eight holes. But a bogey-six at 18 – her ninth of the day – was followed by further dropped shots at the second, third and fourth.
The real damage, though, took place on the sixth and eighth, both par-threes, that she double-bogeyed.
There were no such dramas for Darling. She said: “I made some great putts that normally wouldn’t drop. Today they did and it was a great day.
“The way I thought my way around the golf course was great. I was really disciplined. Me and my caddie, we made some really smart targets, and we were just hitting committed shots to those targets.”
Lindblad, playing in her fourth championship, is looking to become the third player who entered the week as number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking to win. Jennifer Kupcho was the first to accomplish the feat in the inaugural event, followed by Zhang in 2023.