Strong Asia-Pacific Contingent Heading to Augusta

Singapore: Five of the top-eight and 11 of the top-20 from last year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) have received invitations to next month’s Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA).

Chinese Taipei’s Huang Ting-hsuan, triumphant at Thailand’s Siam Country Club last November, leads a 19-strong Asia-Pacific challenge in the prestigious American event.

Among those joining her Stateside will be her compatriot Lu Hsin-yu, Korean Lim Ji-yoo and the Japanese duo of Yuna Araki and Saki Baba, all of whom contended in last year’s WAAP.

In total there will be 10 Japanese players in the starting line-up at Augusta, including the inaugural champion Tsubasa Kajitani, 2021 WAAP winner Mizuki Hashimoto and reigning US Women’s Amateur champion Baba, the world number three.

As well as Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea, the Augusta field includes leading players from Australia (Justice Bosio), China (Zhang Yahui), Malaysia (Jeneath Wong) and New Zealand (Fiona Xu).

Each of the top 45 eligible amateurs in the final World Amateur Golf Ranking of 2022 accepted invitations to the ANWA, including defending champion Anna Davis and fellow-American Rose Zhang, the world number one.

Beginning the week prior to the 87th Masters Tournament, the international field will compete across 54 holes of stroke play, with a cut to 30 players and ties taking place after 36 holes.

The first two rounds will take place on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club (March 29-30). The entire field will then play Augusta National for an official practice round on March 31 with the final round taking place at Augusta National on April 1, featuring the competitors who made the cut.

New in 2023, the first and second rounds of the ANWA will be broadcast live on Golf Channel from Champions Retreat Golf Club. NBC Sports will produce and broadcast three hours of live final-round coverage of the event at Augusta National.

Additionally, Golf Channel’s ‘Live From the Masters’ will commence on April 1 at Augusta National to provide coverage of the ANWA, the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals and the Masters Tournament.

Jennifer Kupcho, who earned her first Major championship title last year competing on the LPGA Tour, was the winner of the inaugural ANWA in 2019. After the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Kajitani captured the first title for Japan at Augusta National in 2021, eight days prior to Hideki Matsuyama’s breakthrough win at the Masters Tournament.

In 2022, 16-year-old Davis became the event’s youngest winner after a final-round 69 at Augusta National.

Asia-Pacific Invitees to Augusta National Women's Amateur

Australia: Justice Bosio

China: Zhang Yahui

Chinese Taipei: Huang Ting-hsuan; Lu Hsin-yu

Japan: Yuna Araki; Saki Baba; Mizuki Hashimoto; Nika Ito; Tsubasa Kajitani; Hinano Muguruma; Mamika Shinchi; Sayaka Teraoka; Miku Ueta; Rin Yoshida

Korea: Kim Min-sol; Lim Ji-yoo; Park Bo-hyun

Malaysia: Jeneath Wong

New Zealand: Fiona Xu