Augusta Women's Amateur gets top 45 in world, expanded TV

Updated Feb. 1, 2023 1:15 p.m. ET

Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The Augusta National Women's Amateur has attracted the top 45 players in the world and will have expanded television coverage for the fourth edition of what quickly has become one of the premier events for female amateurs.

The tournament starts March 29 for two rounds at Champions Retreat before going to Augusta National for a practice round Friday and the final round on Saturday.

Golf Channel will televise the opening two rounds, and then NBC again shows the final round from the home of the Masters.

Rose Zhang, the No. 1 amateur in women's golf, leads the 70 players who have accepted invitations. That leaves two spots to be filled, one potentially coming from the winner of the Asia Pacific Women's Amateur next month in Singapore.

The top 45 come from the final World Amateur Golf Ranking of 2022.

The field includes the last two winners, defending champion Anna Davis from San Diego County and Tsubasa Kajitani of Japan.

This will be the first time top amateurs do not have to decide between the Augusta National Women's Amateur and the first LPGA Tour major of the year, which also invites leading amateurs. The Chevron Championship has moved from the California desert to Houston, and it has left its former date of a week before the Masters.

Also new to the Augusta National Women's Amateur this year is the absence of a playoff. The top 30 players after two rounds advance to the final round; there previously was a playoff to get the number to 30 players.

This year, the top 30 and ties will advance to the final round at Augusta National. All 72 players can play a practice round Friday.

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