The first two competitive rounds were played at Champions Retreat Golf Club with the top 30 players and ties earning their invitation to a final round at the prestigious Augusta National Golf Club. Although some of the field weren’t able to compete in the final round due to the cut, all competitors got a chance to play a practice round on Augusta National and new this year – a round on the famed Par 3 Course.

Bailey Shoemaker, a University of Southern California freshman, showed no fear during the final round of the ANWA by shooting a bogey free six-under 66 which also became the lowest final round in the history of the event. The six birdies propelled Bailey up the leaderboard quickly – where she sat on top and had to agonizingly wait for the lead groups to finish.

With four holes remaining, Lottie Woad, a sophomore for the Florida State Seminoles and the leader after two rounds, found herself three shots back. After birdieing the 15^th hole, Woad put her head down and finished the last three holes in two-under par to claim the Augusta National Women’s Amateur title by one shot over Bailey Shoemaker. Woad drained a downhill 15-foot putt for victory on the 18^th hole – something most golfers only dream of doing at Augusta National Golf Club!

Most of the ANWA competitors were either verbally committed to college, current college players, or had recently graduated. As a matter of fact, 59 of the 72-player field compete on the college level – proof that going through the recruiting process and finding the right fit both academically and athletically is crucial! Let us help you reach your dreams of playing college golf and maybe one day being able to play at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

The ANWA seems to produce some of the most unbelievable golf every year – and we want to take this time to thank the 72 competitors for being great role models to the up-and-coming junior golfers – displaying high class golf shots under extreme pressure. The camaraderie shown by all competitors is a great testament for the game of golf and one we look forward to watching every single year.

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What did it mean to be a part of the 2nd ANWA?

“A dream, it was crazy! Nothing that I ever imagined. I imagined the tournament being big, but what you feel once you’re inside the ropes, it’s completely different, like another world. I dreamt about that tournament for months and I still got chills and emotions being on the grounds.”

How hard was the competition out there?

“Really hard. Everyone there knows how to practice and knows how to win. All the players have a lot of experience, and players that know how to compete with pressure”

What advice do you have for a player trying to play at that level?

“I learned so much from being there. If you get to see these players in person, it gives you extra motivation to get to the next level. You have to fight for every single shot. Nothing is given to you. You have to be careful comparing your own game to the other competitors, everyone plays golf differently – there’s no right way or wrong way.”

How was it walking the hallowed ground of Augusta National?

“The grass was perfectly cut. The flowers were all blooming. It’s nothing like you see on television, the golf course is different. The property is almost unrecognizable with the undulations of the greens and fairways. It was a dream come true to be inside the ropes. It was also very cool to see some of the professional golfers come out and support the women. The men showed up early to practice for the Masters and took time out of their practice sessions to watch!”

What was your experience like caddying for one of the top amateurs in the world?

“An experience that you could never pay for! You see everything up close and personal, you see golf from another perspective. It’s really hard to describe. One thing that was amazing was seeing the preparation for each shot. The top amateurs in the world play a golf that is simple but it’s not that far off from the rest of the amateurs in the world. They know how to fight for each shot and not give away any free shots. They give 100%.”

Thank you for taking the time to read our interview with a caddie at the ANWA. For more posts like this one, check out our blog here: Path Fore Success Blog. You can also follow us on Instagram & Twitter for more!

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