Update: Day two of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur took its time getting underway. Fog delayed the proceedings an hour.
You hear all the talk of side of the draw in pro tournaments and the NCAA Championships and even with a limited field event like this there is something to it.
Carla Tejedo and Latanna Stone of LSU went off in the last two groups off the first tee on Wednesday in the opening round. Thursday, they teed off about an hour ago on the second nine to begin their second day. It was in the mid-40s, but not as windy when they put the tee in the ground.
It was definitely warmer when Ingrid Lindblad teed off just after 9 a.m. CT. We’ll discuss what the second round holds in a minute.
But, as promised yesterday, let’s talk about the caddies.
Some are family members. Some are coaches. Some are locals who caddy at Augusta National. There are a lot of arguments both ways as to the way to go. In the end, it is really all about comfort. As has been seen for years on the professional circuits, sometimes your caddy of many years doesn’t work out anymore and it is time to change. Caddy musical chairs begins.
There is always the argument that a local caddy is the best at Augusta National. I’m not really sold on that to be honest. It all depends on perspective and how much information you want from the person carrying the bag.
Latanna Stone is paired again with Rowdy Dunn who got lots of publicity and credit last year in Stone’s strong play in the tournament.
Carla Tejedo is with an Augusta National caddy, Glen Hurt, and Ingrid Lindblad has consistently been with her Swedish coach, Thomas Lindstrom, in her three years playing this event.
Before the tournament began, Lindblad said on Tuesday, “I think mostly (he) just counts out numbers, and then if I say a stupid club he would be, nah, that’s probably not it. Yeah, so not so much like swing thoughts on the course. He’s my swing coach. But more just talk a lot and figure out the numbers right.”
Carla’s caddy told me after the practice round that he caddied for South Carolina’s Ana Pelaez in the 2021 ANWA, who is also from Spain and now a professional on the Ladies European Tour. When Tejedo played in the Spanish Open in the fall, Pelaez recommended she get a local caddy and suggested she try to work with Hurt.
Golf Channel sometimes on-course reporter Emilia Migliaccio is playing this week before helping with coverage of Sunday’s Drive, Chip and Putt competition, and this time she is using her fiancé on the bag. So, there you go. To each his own when it comes to caddies.
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Speaking of Drive, Chip and Putt this Sunday, it is one of the priceless events that Augusta has been able to stage so well.
A number of players have now had the chance to appear in the Drive, Chip and Putt and then appear in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. One of those is Latanna Stone.
Stone appeared in the inaugural edition in 2014 as a 10-year-old and it leads Paul Rogers very nice look at the three LSU Tigers here that debuted on the ANWA Golf web site Wednesday evening.
Rogers wrote: “When she was a month shy of her 11th birthday, Latanna Stone made history by becoming the second youngest player to compete in the U.S. Women’s Amateur. ‘I’m doing this as a learning experience,” she said at the time. “I’m only 10. I still have a long adventure.’”
While Ingrid Lindblad confirmed to golf media on Tuesday that she will return to LSU for at least the fall semester, Stone said in the story she is coming back for another year, her COVID fifth year, and that could mean a third appearance in the ANWA in 2024.
But that is in the future. Today, is the day when 30 and possibly a few more dreams are realized for those that make the cut to Saturday’s final round. It appears the cut number could be 148, four over. That was last year’s playoff number when it was only 30 and no ties. I think the number will be 3-over most of the day and slip to 4-over as the day ends.
That means that players like Lindblad and Tejedo can still get in with the type of round we have seen them post many times on some difficult courses like this.
So, there will be plenty of leaderboard watching (and there are plenty of the fancy LED Video Boards throughout the premises to keep an eye on). The two hours this afternoon on the Golf Channel will be very interesting to watch.
So, enjoy this afternoon. I will be watching in person with you. The best of women’s amateur golf. It’s moving day at the ANWA.
Oh yea, egg or pimento cheese sandwich? Give me pimento cheese every time. But I went for the chicken salad sandwich at the highly efficient concession stand on Wednesday and I think we have a new leader in the clubhouse.
Thanks for checking out this “Geaux Lowe” edition for March 30.