Kirsten Rudgeley has made history by becoming the first Australian to make the cut at the Augusta Women’s Amateur.
Rudgeley is well in contention at three-over-par and just three shots behind the lead after the top 30 players were finalised to contest the final round at Augusta National on Saturday in the US.
In its third edition, the Augusta Women’s Amateur (ANWA) had never seen an Australian progress to the final day.
Perth native Rudgeley shot 73, 74 in the first two rounds which were played at nearby Champions Retreat. Beatrice Wallin, of Sweden, and American Latanna Stone, share the 36-hole lead at even par.
Rudgeley, 20, will be hoping to add the ANWA title to a resume which includes a win at the Scottish Women’s Open Championship last year, a pro event, as well as the English Women’s Amateur Championship.
Rudgeley will begin the final round at 9.20am east coast US time on Saturday (12.20am Sunday AEST).
The ANWA is a 54-hole event and sees the top 30 scores play the final round at Augusta National. Friday’s second round was dramatic in finalising those 30 spots. The only other Australian in the field, Emily Mahar, missed the cut with a pair of 76s.
Paula Schulz-Hanssen—one of Germany’s top amateurs who is committed to Arizona State University—triumphed in a four-hole, four-for-one sudden death playoff following a rain-delayed second round at Champions Retreat Friday to earn the final spot for the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“I was so nervous, but I just tried to not think too much about it,,” Schulz-Hanssen said afterwards. “Charles, my caddie and I were just like ‘Trust your game. Just do your own thing.’ Yeah, I didn’t make any big mistakes. So I think that was the key.”
Schulz-Hanssen had to play seven holes to complete her second round Friday morning, finishing up with a four-over 76 for a two-day total of 150, good enough for T-30 with three other players. One problem: The ANWA reduces its field from 72 players to 30 for the final round at Augusta National and 30 players total, putting Schulz-Hanssen into extra holes against Virginia’s Amanda Sambach, Vanderbilt’s Auston Kim, and Arizona State’s Alexandra Forsterling for the the last invite. All four parred the first, with a bogey at the second playoff hole knocking out Forsterling and a 4 at the par-3 17th eliminating Kim. On the fourth playoff hole, the par-5 18th, a par putt from Sambach lipped out, making Schulz-Hanssen the survivor.
“This morning I made some stupid mistakes, so I three-putted two times, and I just tried to not do that during the playoff now because, yeah, like if you do a mistake in the playoff, you don’t really have a chance to make it up,” Schulz-Hanssen said.
It was also a bit of serendipity for Schulz-Hanssen, as Friday marked her 19th birthday.
“I’m so excited,” Schulz-Hanssen said. “So that’s like a great present for myself. I’m very excited, and I’m very proud.”
It’s also a bit of redemption for Schulz-Hanssen, who missed the cut in her first ANWA appearance last year. While only 30 players reach the final round, all in the field do get to play Augusta National on Friday. Though getting a tee time at arguably the world’s best course in a nice consolation prize, her Friday round is now more than a memorable trek, as Schulz-Hanssen remains very much in the competition at just six shots back.
“I thought that’s what it’s going to be,” Schulz-Hanssen said, referencing Friday’s practice round, “but I feel like now I really have to concentrate and just write down a few things and just try to suck it all up, yeah.”
As for how she will celebrate her birthday?
“I think playing Augusta is the biggest plan,” Schulz-Hanssen said.
