Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Cameron Jourdan

Meet the field: Internationals competing in the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur

The world’s best women’s amateur golfers are heading back down Magnolia Lane.

The fourth Augusta National Women’s Amateur tees off this week with 46 of the top 50 players in the women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking dreaming of hoisting the trophy on the 18th green.

The field of 72 – 31 Americans and 41 internationals – will play two rounds of stroke play at nearby Champions Retreat Golf Club on Wednesday, March 29, and Thursday, March 30, with the top 30 advancing to the 18-hole final round on Saturday, April 1 at Augusta National. The entire field will play Augusta National for a practice round Friday, March 31.

Get to know the International players competing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Meet the field: Americans competing in the ANWA

Yuna Araki

Age: 17
Hometown: Miyazaki, Japan
ANWA history: First appearance

Araki captured titles at the 2022 Japan Girls Junior and the 2023 Women’s Australian Master of the Amateurs. She also finished T-4 at the Australian Women’s Amateur, T-7 at the Queen Sirikit Cup and T-3 at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific. In August 2022, she won the Girls 15-17 division of the Japan Junior Championship on the same course that hosted Olympic competition in 2021.

Low amateur Yuna Araki of Japan poses following the final round of the Hoken no Madoguchi Ladies at Fukuoka Country Club Wajiro Course on May 15, 2022 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Kajsa Arwefjall

Age: 22
Hometown: Hollviken, Sweden
Education: San Jose State, senior
ANWA history: First appearance

Arwefjall won her first collegiate event in the fall at the USF Intercollegiate and has five top 10s in seven starts. She also finished runner-up in the Juli Inkster to Rose Zhang. In addition to golf, Arwefjall is a champion rope skipper and has said that benefits her on the course.

San Jose State’s Kajsa Arwefjall won the USF Intercollegiate at Olympic Club. (Photo: San Jose State Athletics)

Saki Baba

Age: 17
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
ANWA history: First appearance

Baba made her name known last summer, winning the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay. She beat Monet Chun, 11 and 9, to become the second USGA champion from Japan. Her margin of victory was the third largest in championship history and largest since 1961.

Saki Baba holds the championship trophy after winning the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

Jess Baker

Age: 20
Hometown: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
Education: UCF, junior
ANWA history: First appearance

Baker won the 2022 Women’s Amateur at Hunstanton Golf Club in England, beating Louise Rydqvist 4 and 3 in the 36-hole final. She also competed in the Celebration of Champions during the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews and has competed in two women’s major championships.

Jess Emma Baker of England tees off during the first round of the CP Women’s Open golf tournament. (Marc DesRosiers/USA TODAY Sports)

Justice Bosio

Age: 19
Hometown: Caboolture, Australia
ANWA history: First appearance

Bosio has finished runner-up in consecutive Australian Women’s Amateur appearances. In 2022, she won the Keperra Bowl in Brisbane for the second time in three years and also finished runner-up in the AJGA’s Adam Scott Junior Championship.

Australia’s Justice Bosio will make her debut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. (Golf Australia)

Helen Briem

Age: 17
Hometown: Stuttgart, Germany
ANWA history: First appearance

Briem won the 2022 Italian Women’s Amateur. This year, she had T-9 finishes at the Portuguese Women’s Amateur and the Spanish Women’s Amateur. In 2021, she won the European Young Masters. Last fall, she tied for low individual score in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championships.

Germany’s Helen Briem is making her debut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. (R&A)

Monet Chun

Age: 22
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Canada
Education: Michigan
ANWA history: First appearance

Chun finished runner-up at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay and won the 2022 Canadian Women’s Amateur. Also in a stretch last summer, she made the Round of 16 at the North & South Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2. Chun has four top 25 finishes in four of her nine starts this season.

Monet Chun lines up a putt at the third hole during the semifinals at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash. on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. (Darren Carroll/USGA)

Hannah Darling

Age: 19
Hometown: Midlothian, Scotland
Education: South Carolina, sophomore
ANWA history: Second appearance

Darling made the cut last year at the ANWA, finishing T-27. This season, she has finished inside of the top 10 in five of her seven starts, including a runner-up at the Windy City Collegiate and a T-3 at the Stephens Cup. She represented England in the Curtis Cup and won the R&A Girls Junior in 2021.

South Carolina’s Hannah Darling. (Photo: South Carolina Athletics)

Savannah de Bock

Age: 17
Hometown: Ecaussinnes, Belgium
ANWA history: First appearance

She won the 2022 European Ladies Amateur and is committed to Georgia to play college golf. de Bock finished runner-up at the Girls Junior Orange Bowl to 2022 ANWA winner Anna Davis and runner-up in the Spanish Women’s Amateur. She has won back-to-back Belgian Women’s Amateurs.

Savannah de Bock of Belgium plays her tee shot on the 12th hole during Day Two of the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield on August 05, 2022 in Gullane, Scotland. (Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio

Age: 17
Hometown: Madrid, Spain
ANWA history: First appearance

She won the 2022 World Junior Girls and finished runner-up at the Portuguese Women’s Amateur in January. She reached the Round of 16 in the Spanish Women’s Amateur earlier this month, a tournament she won in 2022. She’s committed to Texas A&M, where her sister Bianca plays.

Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio will play in her first Augusta National Women’s Amateur (Photo provided)

Eila Galitsky

Age: 16
Hometown: Chiang Mai, Thailand
ANWA history: First appearance

Galitsky won the 2023 Women’s Asia Pacific Amateur by five shots, joining 2018 winner Atthaya Thitikul as winners representing Thailand. She has two wins in four starts and three top-three finishes in 2023. She also competed for Thailand in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championships.

Thailand’s Eila Galitsky will make her first appearance at the ANWA. (Photo provided)

Mizuki Hashimoto

Age: 20
Hometown: Hyogo, Japan
Education: Tokoku Fukushi
ANWA history: Second appearance

Hashimoto won the 2023 Australian Women’s Amateur by one stroke over Saki Baba and Justice Bosio. In 2021, she captured the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship. Last year, she won the Queen Sirikit Cup in Singapore and played in the Amundi Evian Championship and the AIG Women’s Open.

Amateur Mizuki Hashimoto of Japan hits her tee shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship at Murasaki Country Club Sumire Course on September 29, 2022 in Noda, Chiba, Japan. (Photo by Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Charlotte Heath

Age: 21
Hometown: Bailiff Bridge, England
Education: Florida State, junior
ANWA history: First appearance

Heath has top-20 finishes in every start this season for the Seminoles, including her first collegiate victory at the Landfall Tradition in October and a runner-up finish at the Valspar Augusta Invitational. She finished runner-up last summer at the European Ladies Amateur and has represented England in the Curtis Cup and Women’s World Amateur Team Championships.

FSU’s Charlotte Heath watches her ball travel toward the seventh hole at the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship round three at Grayhawk Golf Club on May 22, 2022, in Scottsdale, AZ. (Photo: Megan Mendoza, Arizona Republic)

Ting-Hsuan Huang

Age: 18
Hometown: Taoyuan City, Chinese Taipei
ANWA history: First appearance

The 2022 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific champion is committed to UCLA. She also goes by Tiffany, and she birdied six of her last 11 holes to win by two. She won the North & South Girls Junior at Pinehurst and finished T-3 in the Queen Sirikit Cup.

Ting-Hsuan Huang hits her approach shot to the 18th green during the first day of match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur golf tournament at Westchester Country Club in Rye on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. (John Meore, Journal-News)

Nika Ito

Age: 17
Hometown: Kashiwa, Japan
ANWA history: First appearance

Ito started her 2023 campaign with a T-6 at the Annika Invitational in Florida. She reached the Round of 32 in the 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior and the 2022 U.S. Women’s Amateur. She placed T-14 in the Girls Junior PGA Championship and qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open.

Amateur Nika Ito of Japan hits her tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of the Mitsubishi Electric/Hisako Higuchi Ladies at Musashigaoka Golf Course on October 28, 2022 in Hanno, Saitama, Japan. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Tsubasa Kajitani

Age: 19
Hometown: Soja City, Japan
ANWA history: Second appearance

Kajitani won the ANWA in 2021, meaning there will be two past champions in the field. She shot a 72 in the final round at Augusta National, beating Emilia Migliaccio on the first playoff hole to take the title. In 2021, she made the cut at the Amundi Evian Championship and the Japan Women’s Open.

Tsubasa Kajitani of Japan celebrates with the winner’s cup after the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 03, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Minsol Kim

Age: 16
Hometown: Suwon, South Korea
ANWA history: First appearance

Kim won the 2022 Korea Girls Junior Championship, and she finished runner-up at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific earlier this month. She finished sixth as an individual at the Queen Sirikit Cup and she also won the Song Am Cup.

Minsol Kim of South Korea hits her tee shot on the 3rd hole during the final round of the BMW Ladies Championship at Oak Valley Country Club on October 23, 2022 in Wonju, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Andrea Lignell

Age: 22
Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden
Education: Ole Miss, senior
ANWA history: First appearance

Lignell is having a terrific senior season at Ole Miss. She has collected top-five finishes in six of her nine starts, including a pair of victories at the Cougar Classic and The Ally. She also finished runner-up at the Blessings Collegiate.

Andrea Lignell after winning the 2022 The Ally. (Photo: Ole Miss Women’s Golf)

Jiyoo Kim

Age: 17
Hometown: Suwon, South Korea
ANWA history: First appearance

Kim finished runner-up at the 2022 Korea Women’s Amateur. She finished T-7 at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Singapore earlierthis month, shooting a championship record-tying 64 in the second round. She also won the Dream Park Cup last year in Korea.

Ingrid Lindblad

Age: 22
Hometown: Halmstad, Sweden
Education: LSU, senior
ANWA history: Third appearance

One of the most consistent players in college golf, Lindblad will look to build on her T-3 and T-2 finishes in the ANWA in previous years. She shot a 68 in the final round in 2022 and eagled Nos. 8 and 15. She is a three-time first-team All-American and has finished inside the top 15 in every start this season, including a win Sunday at the Clemson Invitational.

Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden looks on during Day One of the AIG Women’s Open at Muirfield on August 04, 2022 in Gullane, Scotland. (Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Carolina Lopez-Chacarra

Age: 19
Hometown: Madrid, Spain
Education: Wake Forest, sophomore
ANWA history: Third appearance

She has seven top-20 finishes in eight starts this season, including a T-3 at the Stephens Cup and a fourth at the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate. She was a member of the winning International Arnold Palmer Cup team last summer and finished runner-up in the World University Golf Championship in Italy.

Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, tees off the 10th hole during the first round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat on Wednesday, March 30, 2022.Sports Augusta National Women’s Amateur First Round. (Photo: Katie Goodale, Augusta Chronicle).

Julia Lopez Ramirez

Age: 20
Hometown: Malaga, Spain
Education: Mississippi State, sophomore
ANWA history: First appearance

Lopez Ramirez is having a great sophomore season. She picked up her fourth collegiate win at the Blessings Collegiate and finished runner-up at the UCF Challenge. She was named SEC Freshman of the Year last year and went 3-1-0 on the International Arnold Palmer Cup team.

Julia Lopez Ramirez won the Blessings Collegiate. (Photo: Mississippi State Athletics)

Hsin-Yu Lu

Age: 21
Hometown: Taipei, Chinese Taipei
Education: Oregon, junior
ANWA history: Second appearance

Lu, who also goes by Cynthia, has four top-20 finishes in four of her six starts this season. She finished runner-up in the East Lake Cup in the fall. She finished T-6 at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Thailand in 2022. She also was a member of the 2022 International Arnold Palmer Cup team.

Oregon’s Hsin-Yu (Cynthia) Lu. (Photo: Oregon Women’s Golf)

Caitlyn Macnab

Age: 21
Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa
Education: TCU, sophomore
ANWA history: Second appearance

Macnab finished 11th last year with a final-round 72 at Augusta National. She has top-25 finishes in six of her seven starts for the Horned Frogs, including her first collegiate win at the Schooner Fall Classic, and a third in the Jim West Challenge. She represented South Africa in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship.

TCU’s Caitlyn Macnab. (Photo: TCU Women’s Golf)

Maria Jose Marin

Age: 16
Hometown: Cali, Columbia
ANWA history: First appearance

She has won the South America Girls Junior in 2021 and 2022 and captured the 2023 Mexican Women’s Amateur. She also has wins in Peru and Columbia to begin 2023, and she had 11 World Amateur Golf Ranking victories in 2022. She’s committed to Arkansas.

Columbia’s Maria Jose Marin. (Photo provided)

Caley McGinty

Age: 22
Hometown: Bristol, England
Education: Ohio State, redshirt junior
ANWA history: Second appearance

McGinty captured the 2023 South America Women’s Amateur by three shots over Lottie Woad. She has finished in the top 25 in every start for the Buckeyes, including a victory at the Westbrook Invitational in February. She has also represented Great Britian and Ireland in the past two Curtis Cups.

Team GB&I player Caley McGinty chips to the green on hole 17 during Foursomes Matches at the 2022 Curtis Cup at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa. on Saturday, June 11, 2022. (Chris Keane/USGA)

Carolina Melgrati

Age: 20
Hometown: Milan, Italy
Education: Arizona, sophomore
ANWA history: Second appearance

Melgrati has finished in the top 20 in five of her eight starts this fall, including a T-11 at the Mason Rudolph Championship and a T-13 at the Gators Invitational in March. She finished T-4 last summer at the Ladies European Tour’s Italian Open and eighth in the European Ladies Amateur.

Carolina Melgrati on the 15th green during the 2022 Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed Hosted by Henrik & Annika at Halmstad Golf Club in Sweden. (Photo: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Hinano Muguruma

Age: 20
Hometown: Saitama, Japan
Education: Nihon Wellness Spots College
ANWA history: Second appearance

Muguruma competed in seven events on the LPGA of Japan tour last year, her best finish being a T-43. In her opening round that week at the Daito Kentaku Eheyanet Ladies, she made an ace. In 2021, she had top-30 finishes at the Kanto Women’s Amateur and the Japan Women’s Amateur.

Hinano Muguruma of Japan is seen before her tee shot on the 2nd hole during the final round of the 2022 JLPGA Pro Test Final Stage at Oarai Golf Club on November 4, 2022 in Oarai, Ibaraki, Japan. (Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Meja Ortengren

Age: 18
Hometown: Linkoping, Sweden
ANWA history: Second appearance

Ortengren finished T-12 at the ANWA last year, closing in 72 with birdies on Nos. 6, 7, 9, 13 and 16. She finished fifth at the Portuguese Women’s Amateur in January and made the Round of 32 in the Spanish Women’s Amateur earlier this month. She had a successful title defense at the Rolex Tournament of Champions last year.

Meja Ortengren of Sweden plays her shot from the third tee during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 02, 2022 in Augusta, Georgia. (David Cannon/Getty Images)

Bohyun Park

Age: 20
Hometown: Farmers Branch, Texas
Education: Texas, sophomore
ANWA history: First appearance

Park has two top-15 finishes for the Longhorns this season, including a runner-up finish at the Annika Intercollegiate. Last summer, she reached match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur and narrowly missed the cut at the U.S. Women’s Open.

Bohyun Park lines up a putt during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open. (David Yeazell/USA TODAY Sports)

Mamika Shinchi

Age: 15
Hometown: Zama, Japan
ANWA history: First appearance

Shinchi is a member of the Japan National Team. She finished runner-up in the Women’s Australian Master of the Amateurs and T-4 in the Australian Women’s Amateur. In 2022, she won the Kanto Girls Junior Championship and finished T-4 in the Japan Girls Junior Championship.

Amateur Mamika Shinchi of Japan hits her tee shot on the 11th hole during the first round of Sumitomo Life Vitality Ladies Tokai Classic at Shin Minami Aichi Country Club Mihama Course on September 16, 2022 in Mihama, Aichi, Japan. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Chiara Tamburlini

Age: 23
Hometown: St. Gallen, Switzerland
Education: Ole Miss, senior
ANWA history: First appearance

Tamburlini has finished in the top 25 in all eight of her starts this fall, including a T-3 at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational and the Valspar Augusta Invitational. Last summer, she represented Switzerland on the International Arnold Palmer Cup team and in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championships.

Ole Miss golfer Chiara Tamburlini. (Photo: Ole Miss Athletics)

Carla Tejedo

Age: 21
Hometown: Castellon de Plana, Spain
Education: LSU, junior
ANWA history: First appearance

Tejedo won individual and team titles at the World University Golf Championship in Italy. This season for the Tigers, she has three top-25 finishes in eight starts, including a runner-up finish at the Stephens Cup and a T-5 at the Moon Golf Invitational.

LSU’s Carla Tejedo (Andrew Wevers)

Sayaka Teraoka

Age: 20
Hometown: Osaka, Japan
ANWA history: First appearance

Teraoka won the 2022 Japan Women’s Amateur, holding at least a share of the lead after each round and winning by six strokes. Before that, she won the Kansai Women’s Amateur and made the cut in the LPGA of Japan’s Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open. She finished T-10 in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific earlier this month.

Sayaka Teraoka of Japan hits her tee shot on the 2nd hole during the final round of the 2022 JLPGA Pro Test Final Stage at Oarai Golf Club on November 4, 2022 in Oarai, Ibaraki, Japan. (Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Mika Ueta

Age: 17
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
ANWA history: First appearance

Ueta finished T-22 while representing Japan in the Queen Sikirit Cup in the Phillipines. She finished third in both the Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan and the Queen Sikirit Cup in Singapore. In 2021, she won the Tokyo High School Golf Championship and has competed on the LPGA of Japan.

Amateur Miku Ueta of Japan hits her tee shot on the 5th hole during the final round of Yamaha Ladies Open Katsuragi at Katsuragi Golf Club Yamana Course on April 3, 2022 in Fukuroi, Shizuoka, Japan. (Atsushi Tomura/Getty Images)

Amelia Williamson

Age: 22
Hometown: Norfolk, England
Education: Florida State, fifth-year senior
ANWA history: First appearance

Williamson has finished in the top 25 in five of her eight starts this season for the Seminoles. Last summer, she was on the winning International team at the Arnold Palmer Cup and the English team at the European Ladies Team Championship. She also reached the Round of 16 in the Women’s Amateur Championship in England.

Amelia Williamson, Florida State (Photo by Mike Olivella)

Lottie Woad

Age: 19
Hometown: Farnham, England
Education: Florida State, freshman
ANWA history: First appearance

Woad broke out last summer when she won the R&A Girls’ Amateur. Earlier this year, she finished runner-up in the South America Women’s Amateur. In her first collegiate season, she has finished in the top eight in seven of her eight events, including victories at the Ivy Intercollegiate and the Florida State Match Up.

Lottie Woad of Farnham poses with The Girls’ Amateur Championship trophy during Day Seven of The Girls’ Amateur Championship at Carnoustie Golf Links on August 14, 2022 in Carnoustie, Scotland. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Jeneath Wong

Age: 18
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Education: Pepperdine, freshman
ANWA history: First appearance

Wong won the 2021 and 2022 Australian Girls Amateur before coming to Pepperdine. She has finished in the top four in two of her first three collegiate starts, including a T-3 at the Juli Inkster Meadow Club Collegiate and fourth in The Show at Spanish Trail. In 2022, she won nine World Amateur Golf Ranking events.

Fiona Xu

Age: 18
Hometown: Auckland, New Zealand
ANWA history: First appearance

The Kiwi won the Australian Women’s Amateur in 2022. She won the tournament on the same weekend as the ANWA last year, becoming the first player from New Zealand to win the crown since Lydia Ko. She also reached the quarterfinals of the 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior and has finished in the top six in each of her five worldwide starts this year.

Fiona Xu of New Zealand looks on during Day 2 of the 2022 ISPS HANDA Australian Open at Kingston Heath on December 02, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

Rin Yoshida

Age: 19
Hometown: Chiba, Japan
ANWA history: Second appearance

Yoshida made the cut at the ANWA last year, finishing 20th. She tied for 28th in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific earlier this month. Last year, she finished in the top 35 in four of her seven starts on the LPGA of Japan, including a T-16 at the NEC Karuizawa 72 Golf Tournament.

Rin Yoshida of Japan lines up a putt on the 1st green during the final round of the 2022 JLPGA Pro Test Final Stage at Oarai Golf Club on November 4, 2022 in Oarai, Ibaraki, Japan. (Toru Hanai/Getty Images)

Yahui Zhang

Age: 17
Hometown: Wuhan, China
ANWA history: First appearance

Zhang finished T-13 at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific earlier this month and T-17 at the Queen Sikirit Cup in February. In 2022, she had five top-three finishes on the China LPGA and won the Shanshan Feng Academy International Junior Championship. At 15 years, 8 months and 1 day old, she won the China LPGA’s CTBC Zhuhai Challenge.

China’s Yahui Zhang. (Photo provided)
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.