16-Year-Old Augusta National Winner To Make LPGA Debut

Anna Davis, the 16-year-old sensation that won the Augusta National Women's Amateur earlier in April, will make her LPGA Tour debut next week at the inaugural Palos Verdes Championship presented by Bank of America in California.

Davis accepted a sponsor's exemption into the tournament off the back of her impressive display at Augusta National, in which she was the only person under par for the tournament. The American came from two shots behind in the final round, shooting a 69 to become the youngest winner in the tournament's young history.

Davis is an American Junior Golf Association All-American and a member of the 2021 US Junior Solheim Cup team. She is yet to commit to a university for college golf but showed glimpses of her future dominance with a seven-shot victory at the Girls Junior PGA Championship last year.

The left hander is joined by Wake Forest junior, Rachel Kuehn, as sponsor exemptions this week. Kuehn won the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge at the host venue earlier this year. 

The pair join a stellar field with nine of the world's top-10 set to tee it up. Nelly Korda is the only absentee as she continues her recovery from a blood clot. The World No.2 said in a statement that her arm was swelling after a routine workout, which subsequently prompted her to go to the hospital for examination.

"After a typical morning workout, my arm started to feel like it was swelling," Korda said in the statement. "At the advice of my doctor, I went to the Emergency Room as a precaution. I was diagnosed with a blood clot."

Korda recently revealed that she successfully underwent surgery for a clot in the subclavian vein. In an Instagram post, she said: "I am pleased to report the procedure went well and the doctors were happy with the outcome. I am now home recovering and preparing to start rehab. I am looking forward to getting back to 100% so I can begin practicing."