Augusta National Golf Club and chairman Fred Ridley surprised the world of golf last year, announcing the formation of the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship.
The 54-hole tournament, with the final round played at Augusta National Golf Club on April 6, will welcome 72 of the best women's amateur golfers from around the world. Now that those 72 women have been determined, Augusta National has sent out invitations to the inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur.
A number of the invitees have taken to Twitter and Instagram to show pictures of the really cool-looking invitations.
Have always dreamed of playing at Augusta National... and now that has become a reality. Thank you so much @anwagolf for making this possible #TGBTG pic.twitter.com/nutXEK7E9T
— Erica Shepherd (@ericashepherd35) January 11, 2019
Mailed in a green container with a seal stamped with the Augusta National Women's Amateur flower logo, the invitation sits inside inside a trifold presentation. On the inside left and right panels is a pattern of the ANWA logo, with the formal invitation sitting in the middle panel, looking a lot like the invitation sent to Masters Tournament invitees.
In order to earn an Augusta National Women's Amateur invite, a player must have met one of three criteria:
- Invitations will be given to the winners of the US Women's Amateur, Ladies British Open Amateur Championship, Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific, US Girls' Junior, Girls' British Open Amateur Championship and Girls Junior PGA Championship.
- The top 30 American players not otherwise qualified through the Women's World Amateur Golf Ranking will be invited, followed by the next 30 highest-ranked players from that ranking.
- The final spots will be filled with invitations made by the tournament committee.
The first two rounds of the Augusta National Women's Amateur will be played at the nearby Champions Retreat Golf Club in nearby Evans, Ga. A cut will be made to the top 30 players and ties for the final round, with those players moving to Augusta National for the medal-play finish. The players are guaranteed a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club on April 3 before the tournament begins.
