Emma Bunch Begins Augusta National Women’s Amateur

Wednesday will mark the beginning of a historic week for Aggie women’s golfer Emma Bunch who is prepared to compete in the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA), beginning Wednesday morning. Bunch will be one of 33 players in the field making their ANWA debut.
 
The 54-hole event is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, April 2, with the opening 36 holes being played over two days on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The entire field will then play Augusta National for an official practice round on Friday, April 4. The final round will then take place at Augusta National on Saturday, April 5, and will feature the leading 30 competitors and ties who made the cut.
 
The Aggies’ Bunch qualified for the event based on her ranking which currently sits at No. 37 according to the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW
The first and second rounds of the ANWA will be broadcast live on Golf Channel (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. MT) from Champions Retreat Golf Club. NBC Sports will produce and broadcast three hours (10 a.m. to 1 p.m. MT) of live final-round coverage of the event at Augusta National. Additionally, Golf Channel’s “Live From the Masters” will commence on Friday, April 4 at Augusta National to provide coverage of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals and the Masters Tournament.
 
Qualifications for Invitation to Augusta National Women’s Amateur
• Reigning U.S. Women’s Amateur Champion
• Reigning Women’s Amateur Champion
• Reigning Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Champion
• Reigning Girls’ Amateur Champion
• Reigning U.S. Girls’ Junior Champion
• Reigning Girls Junior PGA Champion
• Past champions of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur within the last five years
• The 30 highest ranked players from the United States of America based on the prior year’s (2024) final Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking, not otherwise qualified
• After the above qualifications, the 30 highest ranked players not otherwise qualified, as listed on the prior year’s (2024) final Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking
• Players receiving special invitations from the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Committee
 
HISTORY OF ANWA
The Augusta National Women’s Amateur was announced on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, by Chairman Fred Ridley during his annual press conference at the Masters Tournament. The goal of the Championship is to make a significant and lasting impact on the future of the women’s game through a unique platform that celebrates and showcases the world’s best amateurs.
 
In 2019, Jennifer Kupcho, the world’s top-ranked amateur, played her final six holes in five under par, including an eagle on the par-five 13th at Augusta National, to become the champion of the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The 2020 Championship was canceled due to the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, 17-year-old Tsubasa Kajitani became the first international ANWA champion and the first winner from Japan at Augusta National in any tournament with her playoff victory over Wake Forest’s Emilia Migliaccio.
 
In 2022, 16-year-old Anna Davis became the youngest champion after a three-under-par 69 in the final round at Augusta National. In 2023, after two and a half years as the No. 1 amateur in the world, Rose Zhang defeated Jenny Bae in a two-hole playoff. In 2024, Lottie Woad became the first European winner of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur with birdies at hole Nos. 17 and 18 to hold off Bailey Shoemaker and win by one stroke.
 
For complete coverage of NM State Women’s Golf, follow us on Twitter (@NMStateWGolf), Instagram (@NMStateWGolf) and Facebook (NM State Women’s Golf). You can also follow along with Aggie Women’s Golf via NMStateSports.com.