Michigan golfer Monet Chun’s magical year now taking her to Augusta
They say golf is a good walk wasted. Monet Chun would respectfully disagree.
It’s been a magical year for Chun, a standout from Michigan, and the wild ride will continue this spring when she plays at the legendary Augusta National Golf Club. Chun has officially accepted an invitation to compete in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which will run from March 29 to April 1.
The 70-man field, featuring the best female amateur golfers from around the world, was unveiled on Wednesday.
Chun, 22, a junior from suburban Toronto, is coming off a magical 2022, when she won the Big Ten Championship and the Canadian Amateur Championship, and finished second at the US Amateur. In 2022, she was the Big Ten Rookie of the Year.
The Augusta Women’s Amateur debuted in 2019 to much fanfare, as the legendary club didn’t allow female members until this century. Jennifer Kupcho, current LPGA star who won both Michigan LPGA stops last year, won the inaugural event. It was canceled by COVID-19 in 2020 and returned in 2021.
The tournament is a great showcase leading up to Masters week.
The first two rounds will take place March 29-30 at Champions Retreat Golf Club, with the top 30 players and ties from the first two rounds advancing to the final day at Augusta National on April 1. Even players who don’t qualify for the final round to play Augusta National, however, with a practice round scheduled for March 31.
Michigan’s Hailey Borja finished tied for 12th in the 2022 tournament, 5 points, six shots off the lead. Michigan’s Ashley Lau and Michigan State’s Valery Plata also competed in last year’s tournament.
The day after the Augusta National Women’s Amateur is the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals, an acclaimed youth skills competition, also in Augusta. Two local qualifiers will be competing: Lynn Hampton, of Grosse Pointe Park, in the girls 14-15 division; and Robbie Melendez of Ann Arbor in the boys 10-11 division.
The Masters, the first major championship of the season, is then scheduled for April 6-9.
Twitter: @tonypaul1984
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