Redding in 21st Place After Opening Round of Augusta National Women’s Amateur

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Charlottesville, Va. – Virginia senior Anna Redding (Concord, N.C.) opened play at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur championship by shooting 1-over 73 at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Ga. She is tied for 21st place after the first round.
 
The top 30 players in the 72-competitor field will advance to the final round of the event that will be played at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday. The field returns to Champions Retreat for Thursday’s second round of play. All 72 players will have the opportunity to play a practice round at Augusta National on Friday.
 
Redding started her round on the 10th tee and, after opening with back-to-back pars, she ran into a stretch of trouble, posting four bogies over five holes starting at the 12th hole. She picked up a par on number 17 and then made an important birdie on the par five 18th hole before making the turn.
 
Redding played her final nine holes at 2-under par thanks to birdies on holes four and nine.
 
In 2014, Redding played Augusta National Golf Club at the invitation of a member. For that round, she was partnered with a caddie by the club named Jacob Hendrick. Ironically, he was assigned to be on her bag this week. That proved fortuitous.
 
“Being four-over after eight holes was tough,” Redding said. “My caddy was all positive today and that really helped. We focused on going thru my routine, picking a line and then swinging. I wasn’t hitting golf shots today and that was it.  It was great to have him just keep me calm in that environment.”
 
“By trusting the yardage we picked, and then putting a confident swing, was how I came back,” Redding said. “I trusted that the next shot was going to go right where I was looking.”
 
Wake Forest’s Jennifer Kupcho, the reigning NCAA champion, is tied for first place with UCLA commitment Zoe Campos. They both shot 4-under 68.
 
Redding will tee off at 10:48 a.m. from the first tee during Thursday’s second round.
 
The Augusta National Women’s Amateur is the first women’s event hosted at Augusta National Golf Club.
 
Live coverage of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur will air on NBC from noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 6. The Golf Channel will also provide on-site reports starting Tuesday leading up to and following the final round at Augusta National.
 
The tournament winner will receive an invitation to the next five Augusta National Women’s Amateurs, the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open, the 2019 Women’s British Open, and any USGA, R&A and PGA of America amateur championships.
 
“The experience here at the ANWA is so special,” Redding said after the first round. “There is something in the air here where we all know we are part of history in this inaugural event and we are all just taking it in. The tournament is being so gracious and treating us so incredibly well. They are definitely spoiling us. I’m just so honored and thankful to be part of this event.”
 
For more information on the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur, visit its website at https://www.anwagolf.com.