2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur Rings in the Spring Golf Season

In December of 1932, Augusta National Golf Club opened its doors and two years later the inaugural Masters tournament was contested. A club once exclusively for men finally added female members some 78 years later when Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore were invited to join the club in 2013. While long overdue, the membership of these two trailblazers helped pave the way for women to play on this historic course.

In 2018, wildest dreams were realized when the Augusta National Women’s Amateur was announced, thus providing an opportunity for high-level female amateur golfers to qualify and compete at Augusta National. The results have been nothing short of a rousing success for amateur golf, women’s golf, and the sport of golf in general.

The Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) was established to “inspire greater interest and participation in the women’s game by creating a new, exciting and rewarding pathway for these players to fulfill their dreams.”

To shine a brighter spotlight on not only amateur golf, but specifically women’s amateur golf was the vision of Augusta National Chair Fred Ridley and his team as they launched the inaugural ANWA in April of 2019. That high-level amateur women were being given the opportunity to play the hallowed grounds of Augusta National was a giant step forward for the sport of golf itself and women players.

What was once an unreachable goal – to play Augusta – was now in reach for millions of young women and girls who, like the rest of us, have grown up watching the Masters each year, reveling in miraculous shots, glorious triumphs, and unbelievable heartache for some.

The United States’ Jennifer Kupcho (now an LPGA player) won the first ANWA in 2019. Unfortunately, the 2020 ANWA was canceled due to the COVID pandemic; however, the 2021 addition saw the first international player hoist the trophy, Japan’s Tsubasa Kajitani.

In 2022, 16-year-old Anna Davis – sporting a stylish bucket hat – became the youngest winner in the ANWA’s short history. As the competition to play in this already prestigious event increased, the 2023 version saw the number one women’s amateur in the world, Stanford’s Rose Zhang being taken to a two-hole playoff where she secured victory over Jenny Bae.

Augusta National Women's Amateur: What’s the Format?

The ANWA is a stroke-play event contested over 54 holes and three days. The tournament commences with a strong international field of 72 players. The first two rounds are played on Wednesday and Thursday at nearby Champions Retreat Golf Club, after which there is a cut, with the leading 30 players and ties advancing to the final round.

Those fortunate enough to advance then get to play the final round at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday in front of an international TV audience.

And what does the winner receive? Well, the spoils, of course! Those spoils include an invitation to the next five ANWAs, as well as exemptions into four of the five women’s major championships: the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, 2024 Women’s British Open, 2024 Evian Championship, and the 2024 Chevron Championship (the first ladies’ major of the season).

Who can play the ANWA?

There are a variety of ways in which a player can qualify for the ANWA, including being one of the 30 highest-ranked players from the United States. This year’s ANWA features six of the top 10 ranked amateurs in the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, including the number one ranked women’s amateur in the world, Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad.

Others to watch closely include:

• England’s Lottie Woad (ranked 4th)

• Germany’s Helen Briem (ranked 5th)

• USA’s Megan Schofill (ranked 7th)

• Japan’s Yuna Araki (ranked 8th)

Player Spotlight – Asterisk Talley

This year’s ANWA could come with an asterisk. A two-time Junior All-American, California’s Asterisk Talley is just 15 years old, but already a proven winner in the junior ranks. And it’s not her first foray into the sanctitude of Augusta National, as she competed in the Drive, Chip and Putt in 2018 and 2022.

According to her mother, Asterisk roughly translates in Greek to “little star,” and a strong performance this year, including making the cut, could be the first big step for the sport’s newest “little star.”

How to watch the Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2024

• Wednesday, April 3 – 1:30-3:30pm ET live on Golf Channel

• Thursday, April 4 – 1:30-3:30pm ET live on Golf Channel

• Saturday, April 6 – Noon-3:00pm ET live on NBC Sports