AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The Augusta National Women’s Amateur has moved from Champions Retreat Golf Club in nearby Evans to Augusta National Golf Club. Friday the entire field of 72 golfers played a practice round at Augusta National before the 35 players that made the cut compete in the final round on Saturday.
“It was absolutely amazing,” said University of South Carolina junior Louise Rydvist (-1) after her practice round at Augusta National. “I’m super excited. It was so pretty. The course is perfect. Greens are firm and fast. It will be a lot of fun.
I know I have to shoot low to be up there and climb the leaderboard.
It’s a challenging course, obviously from a golf perspective, but also mentally. I think maybe my biggest enemy out there is myself and my brain. So I’m just going to try to take every moment as it comes to me and do my processes every time I have to. Hopefully it ends up with a low score.”
Hannah Darling of Scotland plays a stroke from a bunker on the No. 2 hole during a practice round for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 5, 2024. 
Eila Galitsky of Thailand plays a stroke from a bunker on the No. 2 hole during a practice round for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 5, 2024. 
Catherine Park of the United States plays her stroke from the No. 12 tee during a practice round for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 5, 2024.
Rydvist is one of two current Gamecocks and one future Gamecock in the top five. Junior Hannah Darling of Scotland and commitment Eila Galitsky from Thailand are also one-under.
“It was a lot of fun,” Darling said. “I don’t think you can ever have a bad day at Augusta National. It was perfect conditions. The course is unbelievable right now.
I think in terms of playing the practice round (Friday) and playing the tournament (Saturday), the way I’ve always described it is (Friday) you get to appreciate the golf course for what it is, and then (Saturday) you get to appreciate the tournament for what it is.”
36-hole leader Lottie Woad (-5), a sophomore at Florida State University from England, enters Saturday’s final round with a two-shot lead.
“It was amazing,” Woad said after Friday’s round. “I played it last year, so I knew what to expect. It still kind of blows you away that you’re playing Augusta. It seems like it’s playing pretty similar to last year. The greens are slightly firm, but they’re not too bad.”
WJBF will provide live updates from Augusta National Golf Club during Saturday newscasts. The final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the final group teeing off at 10:20 a.m. NBC will televise the final round live beginning at noon.
For final round tee times, click here. Due to forecasted overnight temperatures and the potential for frost, ticketing gates will not open any earlier than 7:15 a.m. for patrons.
