EVANS, Ga. — The Rose Zhang Show broke out early in Champions Retreat and picked up momentum as the world No. 1 posted another record day at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The Stanford sophomore broke her own course record with a 65 on the second lap and now leads Andrea Lignell by five shots into Saturday’s finals at Augusta National.
Zhang’s 13-under-131 total also set a record.
While it almost seems like all that’s left is a celebration of Zhang, there were plenty of other highlights on a day when red numbers peppered the board for one of golf’s most punchy days. A total of 31 players made the cut. However, every player in the field will pitch it up for a practice round at Augusta National on Friday.
Here are five things to know beyond the ANWA Day 2 Zhang headlines:
youth movement
Gianna Clemente plays her shot from the #11 tee during round two of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club, Thursday, March 30, 2023. (ANWA)
Gianna Clemente, the youngest player in the field, shot her back nine at Champions Retreat 32, climbing to ninth place. Clemente made headlines last year when she qualified for three consecutive events on Monday. She turned 15 last week and is making her ANWA debut.
“I probably dropped a 50-foot pitcher on No. 2 and just kept going after that,” Clemente said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting to shoot 32 on the back but we had some good pin positions and I aimed for every pin and it worked.”
Clemente putted for 90 minutes on Wednesday night after a frustrating day on the greens. Her father and caddy Patrick said they read the greens a little too little that first day at Champions. They adjusted their setup position, moving further apart and getting things rolling on Thursday.
Clemente, who works with IMG to represent NIL, recently signed with Amundi and is backed by Nike and Titleist.
The third time is the charm
Megha Ganne on the 10th green during round one of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat on Wednesday March 29, 2023. (Photo by Katie Goodale, USA Today)
The only goal Megha Ganne had in mind this year was to play in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Saturday. The Stanford freshman, a four-time national finalist for drive, chip and putt, missed the cut in her previous two ANWA appearances. Ganne shot 70 on Thursday and goes into the finals with T-9.
How hard has it been to come up short in the past?
“It was bad,” Ganne said. “More tears than I’ve shed at any other event. It’s just crazy competition. You want it really badly.”
Kentucky clutch
Jensen Castle at the #12 tee during round one of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club on March 29, 2023. (Photo: ANWA)
Jensen Castle knew exactly where she stood when she came up against an 8ft slider for birdie on the 18th to reduce the number on 2 overs. Her second round of 76 included a pair of double bogeys.
“I wasn’t ideal,” Castle said of her must-make putt. “It’s straight grain and I putted it about 4 feet and knew right away it was in.”
The 2021 US Amateur Champion and Kentucky Senior recently pinched a rib injury this first started bothering her two summers ago. The flare-up kept her from competing for Kentucky at Clemson’s event last week. Castle joked that the ANWA coaches would be her best friends by the end of the week.
“I got some heat and massage,” she said of her treatment after the first round. “When we say massage, it wasn’t a feel-good massage. They went in there and broke the handkerchief, but it was good.”
the good voice
Emilia Migliaccio looks at her ball after skiing March 30, 2023 during the second round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat. (Photo: Katie Goodale, USA Today)
After Emilia Migliaccio double bogeyed her 12th hole of the day, one side of her brain asked, “Did you just screw that up?” while the other side noted that she had a short club the rest of the way on her approach shots.
The angelic voice prevailed as the Wake Forest fifth-year player shagged the final three holes – her only birdies of the day – to claw back the cut line with 1 over.
Migliaccio, who married her fiancé this year, is one of three players to have competed in all four editions of ANWA. She finished second in 2021 with her mother on the bag and missed the cut in 2019 and 2022.
“I just said to myself, I said, ‘Emilia, you can definitely make two birdies on those last few holes,'” she said.
“Luckily it worked.”
Comes up short
Anna Davis on the #17 tee during round two of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club on March 30, 2023. (Photo: ANWA)
Defending champion Anna Davis missed the cut after suffering a four-stroke penalty in the opening round for picking up her ball twice in the rough on the first hole. Davis shot 72 in the second round, missing the cut by two shots.
LSU’s Ingrid Linblad has finished in the top three in her last two ANWA appearances, but struggled fiercely this time. The Swede was emotional after carding rounds of 78-74. She came into the week hot after scoring her 11th collegiate win.
Source : sports.yahoo.com