Indian Teen Prodigy Seeks to Spring Augusta Surprise
Augusta, Georgia, United States: She may be one of the youngest competitors in the starting line-up at the third Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA). And she doesn’t feature among the highest-ranked players in the elite 72-strong field. But...
Augusta, Georgia, United States: She may be one of the youngest competitors in the starting line-up at the third Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA). And she doesn’t feature among the highest-ranked players in the elite 72-strong field. But don’t for a moment think that 15-year-old Avani Prashanth is here simply to make up the numbers.
The first Indian to be invited to the ANWA, such has been the success she’s already achieved that sound judges are predicting Prashanth is destined for the very top in golf.
It helps that the teenager oozes self-belief and trust in her ability.
As one of the less well known international players in the ANWA, few beyond her immediate camp will be expecting her to be among the contenders when the battle for glory enters the back nine at Augusta National on Sunday.
Rather than being daunted at the prospect of facing off with the world’s best female amateurs and awe-struck at playing at one of the game’s most fabled venues, Prashanth, who was introduced to golf prior to her fourth birthday, is inspired.
“I just play my natural game and if my putting works, too, then I’m capable of winning the tournament,” said Prashanth, who will tee-off alongside Australian Emily Mahar and American left-hander Anna Davis in tomorrow’s opening round at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta.
At last year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) in Abu Dhabi, she finished in a share of 16th place alongside Yin Xiaowen, Yei Le and Ayaka Tezuka, all rated considerably higher than her in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and all in the ANWA field.
She closed her year by winning both the Indian Golf Union’s All India Ladies and Junior Championships. It brought the curtain down on a memorable 2021 during which she finished in the top-10 in all 15 of her WAGR appearances in India with four victories, two of them in professional events.
Nonetheless, given that she’s yet to break into the WAGR’s top-100, Prashanth admits she didn't expect to be included in the Augusta line-up this year.
She said: “I wanted to play the tournament, but wasn’t expecting to get an invite. Even in my wildest dreams I wouldn’t have thought I’d be invited for this prestigious event.
“I’m really excited. Firstly, it is The Masters venue, and then I will also be competing with the best amateurs in the world. It can’t get any better than this.”
Maybe not for now, but Prashanth and her team are already plotting an ambitious path forward for the Bangalore High School student.
This year, her targets include securing a spot in the top-75 in the WAGR and striking gold for India at the Asian Games in the Chinese city of Hangzhou in September.
That’s just the start. In 2024, Prashanth is setting her sights on playing on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour and gaining a spot to represent her country in the Paris Olympics.
With those goals ticked off, her next challenge will be to become the top-ranked female golfer in the world by 2026 – the first Indian to scale such peaks.
The latest step in that journey starts this week at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Many will be watching with keen interest.
