The sixth annual Augusta National Women`s Amateur is upon us, brimming with compelling narratives as defending champions, seasoned participants, and emerging young talents compete at one of golf`s most revered locations.
Here are six notable players to keep an eye on as the tournament commences at Champions Retreat Golf Club on Wednesday and Thursday, culminating in the final round at Augusta National on Saturday.
Lottie Woad
Woad`s victory at last year`s ANWA was a dramatic affair, sealed with birdies on three of her final four holes to narrowly defeat Bailey Shoemaker. This win propelled Woad into an impressive 2024, reaching the No. 1 spot in the world amateur rankings. Since her triumph last year, she has secured one additional victory and maintained a remarkable streak of top-5 finishes (10), including eight consecutive top-3 finishes starting from the Folds of Honor Collegiate event in September.
“I believe winning [ANWA] significantly boosted my confidence, especially coming from behind. It reinforced the idea that I`m never out of contention,” Woad stated during her pre-tournament press conference. “I rode that momentum, and it set a positive tone for the rest of the year. Expectations might have shifted slightly, but I already had high personal expectations beforehand, so it wasn`t a drastic change.”
Participating in the LPGA`s new LEAP program, which offers amateur players a pathway to LPGA status through various achievements, Woad earned two points for her ANWA victory. Another win could grant her two more points, bringing her closer to the 20 points needed for an LPGA Tour card.
“My main focus is on playing excellent golf and observing where that leads me,” Woad commented. “Playing on the LPGA has always been a dream, so having a potentially easier route that bypasses Q-School would be incredibly significant.”
Despite the event`s history of no repeat winners, Woad`s consistent performance and experience position her as a strong favorite to become the first to achieve back-to-back victories.
Bailey Shoemaker
As previously mentioned, Shoemaker nearly clinched a memorable ANWA victory, carding a 66 on Sunday that appeared sufficient for a playoff until Woad`s stunning finish.
Shoemaker`s performance since has been steady, currently ranked 45th in the world amateur golf rankings, though still seeking an event win. Her best finish was sixth place at the Leadership and Golf College Invitational last September.
USC head coach Justin Silverstein remains optimistic. He noted that while Shoemaker`s tournament rounds haven`t fully aligned recently, her ball-striking during practice has been exceptional, and her putting is at a professional level. This season, she`s gaining approximately 0.25 strokes per round with her putter.
“Considering all these factors,” Silverstein remarked, “I anticipate everything clicking into place for her soon.”
Jasmine Koo
While Shoemaker might be fresh in many memories from last year, Jasmine Koo, her USC teammate, is another player to watch closely.
Koo, a freshman, currently holds the No. 1 position in the AJGA rankings and No. 2 worldwide amateur ranking. Since last year`s ANWA, where she finished fourth, Koo has enjoyed an impressive series of results. In 17 significant appearances, she has won four events, achieved top-5 finishes in seven, and her lowest finish was 17th at the U.S. Women`s Amateur. Notably, at last year`s LPGA Chevron Championship, she was one of only two amateurs to make the cut, finishing 13th in a professional field.
Asterisk Talley
Talley emerged as a surprise contender at the previous ANWA, tying for eighth place at just 15 years old. She has since demonstrated significant potential, winning the Annika Invitational by five strokes in January and securing second place at both the U.S. Girls` Junior and U.S. Women`s Amateur, alongside winning the U.S. Women`s Amateur Four-Ball. Talley is currently ranked No. 14 in the world amateur rankings and has achieved nine top-10 finishes in the past year. Her impressive performance also includes sharing low amateur honors at last year`s U.S. Women`s Open. Remarkably, she is still only 16 years old.
Rianne Malixi
Hailing from the Philippines, Malixi is the only player who outperformed Talley at both the U.S. Girls` Junior and U.S. Women`s Amateur last year. Her victories in both events marked only the second instance of a player winning both in the same calendar year. She achieved these wins decisively, defeating Talley 8&7 in match play at the Junior and 3&2 at the Women`s Amateur.
The 18-year-old Duke commit is set to begin her college career in Durham in 2025. Her recent success follows a missed cut at her ANWA debut last year. Since then, the world No. 4 has achieved six top-5 finishes in her last 11 events and aims for a more extended and competitive presence in Augusta this year. Her current form suggests she is well-prepared.
Mirabel Ting
Mirabel Ting has claimed more victories than any other player since the last ANWA. Ranked No. 3 in the world amateur rankings, her performance over the past year includes six wins. Her season`s play has propelled her to the top of the NCAA Division I rankings, with a lead over second place as significant as the gap between second and 42nd place.
A 65th-place finish at the NCAA championships is an outlier in Ting`s otherwise stellar record. However, she has won her last two tournaments leading up to Augusta, making a strong case that no player is entering the event in better form than the 19-year-old from Malaysia.
