‘Picture perfect’: ANWA players share Augusta National experiences following Friday practice round

Whether practice or competition, a round at Augusta National is a round at Augusta National.

Many of the 30 remaining players in the 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur field got their first taste of the course during Friday’s practice round. Before the scores count Saturday, it was a great opportunity to experience the nuances the legendary course has to offer.

For those who had no experience coming in, it’s easy to build preconceived notions about a course after seeing it on television for many years. Last year, for instance, some pointed out the broadcasts don’t necessarily do the rapid elevation changes any justice.

Augusta National is something that can only be experienced firsthand. Oftentimes, this is where switching to a local caddie comes in handy. University of Southern California’s Amari Avery used her coach on the bag at Champions Retreat Golf Club for the first two rounds, but opted for an Augusta National caddie for Friday and Saturday.

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“I’ve got a new caddie. I’ve got an Augusta caddie, local caddie,” she said. “I think it’s a smart decision. He knows everything about the course. (USC head coach Justin Silverstein) is obviously a very good caddie, but I need some more experience.”

It was a veteran move, as Avery is in her second ANWA start. Although she made an appearance here in 2021, it doesn’t mean she isn’t still learning about the course.

“I played last year in the practice round, so I kind of knew what to expect, but I mean, every time, I think every time anyone comes here, there’s always something that throws them off,” she said. “Larry, my caddie, will just tell me some things about the greens, and I’m like, ‘I’m not seeing that.’ But I hit the shot where he tells me, and he’s definitely right.”

Not all the memories are great. Stanford’s Rose Zhang was asked about her triple-bogey on the par-5 No. 13 in 2021, pushing her off the top of the leaderboard late in the third round. A year removed, she remains positive about her experiences at Augusta.

“I feel like I have good memories regardless of that triple,” she said.

Zhang went on to excel as a freshman for the Cardinal, winning her first three events last fall, and remains the top-ranked amateur in the world.

For LSU’s Latanna Stone, Friday was her first experience at Augusta National. While taking time to learn the course, she spent much of her round soaking in the moment, stopping for a photo on one of the most-storied holes in the game.

“Oh, I really like 12 because we got to take a photo over there,” she said. “It was really cool walking up the bridge. It was just so beautiful right then and there. Picture perfect.”

History fills every nook and cranny of this golf course. While many appreciate the great shots and moments in Masters Tournament history, something that’s become evident throughout this event is that rather than taking too much time to dwell on the immense history, this generation’s talent is looking to use that time to make its own mark.

“There’s a few shots I remember, like Bubba Watson, I think he hit the snap hook or something. Dustin Johnson one year did something like that. Of course a lot of Tiger’s highlights I remember,” University of Kentucky’s Jensen Castle said. “But I don’t really remember those when I’m playing myself, like, oh, that’s where he was standing or something like that.”

And that’s more than enough. While the history is there and should be revered, Castle and her peers are also cognizant of another generation of little girls watching the ANWA.

“I hope they know that they too can do this as well,” she said. “It is a dream for everyone, but if they work hard enough, like they can achieve this as well.”

With millions of those little girls watching, Saturday’s third round begins with the first pairings teeing off at 8 a.m. ET.