History could be about to repeat itself as England's Lottie Woad co-leads the Augusta National Women's Amateur heading into the final round on Saturday.
The defending champion was the outright leader after two rounds last year before stalling midway through her lone competitive trip around Augusta National, only to roar back late on and deny Bailey Shoemaker the crown via a last-gasp birdie blast.
Woad obviously had designs on copying the result, although not in the same style, and made the ideal start thanks to totals of 65 and 70 at Champions Retreat during Wednesday and Thursday. Eight birdies and a bogey on the first day made way for just three gains and a bogey on day two.
The Florida State star shares top spot with University of Oregon sophomore, Kiara Romero on nine-under after round-one leader Megha Ganne was unable to follow up her outstanding nine-under 63 - ultimately stumbling to a one-over 73 on Thursday.
Woad said: "I knew I was going off earlier than Megha, so I just thought if I could maybe get a few birdies to start I could kind of show that I could catch her, and managed to do that.
Tied for the clubhouse lead.#ANWAgolf pic.twitter.com/9hub4JggbdApril 3, 2025
“I think the pins were definitely a lot harder, so I had to adjust a little bit on that. Some holes you kind of had to play away from a little bit whereas yesterday I feel like I could really attack every pin. So I had to be a bit more patient today.”
Later asked if she felt her previous experience of the championship could help her close the deal once more, the World No.1 amateur said: “Yeah, I think I can definitely use last year, you know. I had the lead and then lost it. [Saturday] If that happens again, then I'd know that I've come back from there before. So I guess they’re positive memories.”
Meanwhile, Romero opened up with a five-under 67 before backing that up with a 68 which featured seven birdies, a bogey and a double. The World No.5 amateur's mistakes arrived early, though, and Romero - who missed the cut on debut last year - put the hammer down around the turn to recover and find a share of the lead.
Romero said: "I feel like I have a lot more control over the mental side of it. I had a double and a bogey back-to-back on four and five, so I didn't let that get to me at all. I actually ended up birdieing the last three holes. So I feel like that kind of shows the way my game has matured from last year.”
Looking ahead to Saturday's final round at Augusta National, the American said: "I think already being there once kind of lets me know what I'm preparing for and stuff.
Competition at its finest.Kiara Romero and Lottie Woad finish their rounds tied for the lead at -9.#ANWAgolf pic.twitter.com/4IuHHUs8aRApril 3, 2025
"I'm definitely going to enjoy the moment being there, but just going to try to do my best to take notes of the course and see where are the good spots and create a good game plan for Saturday.”
Despite a rough second round, Ganne is only a shot back of the lead and alongside the Spanish pair of Carla Bernat Escuder and Andrea Revuelta in a tie for third. USA's Asterisk Talley moved up into a share of sixth thanks to a brilliant six-under 66 on Thursday, with Sweden's Meja Ortengren for company.
Although remaining unlikely to win, Japan’s Ko Kurabayashi enjoyed the biggest and best recovery at the Augusta National Women's Amateur via a bogey-free 65 on Thursday. Kurabayashi improved her first-round score by 13 strokes to move up from 68th to T27th and advance.
It all comes down to this.32 of the world's best will test themselves at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday. Here's how they got there... pic.twitter.com/4bboGyOSpLApril 4, 2025
While World Amateur No.3, Jasmine Koo is just about inside the top-10, World No.2, Mirabel Ting surprisingly missed the top-30-and-ties cut. Ting - who has made a habit of defeating Woad on the college circuit recently - carded an opening round 76 (+4) and was unable to recover sufficiently to the one-under mark, missing out by just a single stroke following a four-under 68 on day two.
Shoemaker was another big name to miss out on competitive reps around Augusta National after consecutive rounds of 74, with amateur star Rachel Heck ultimately finishing on the same overall score via a 75 and a 73. World Amateur No.7, Soomin Oh finished third last on 13-over thanks to scores of 76 and 81.
Each player in the field will go on to enjoy a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club on Friday, with the look at The Masters' home layout particularly important for the 32 amateur players who made it to Saturday's third and final round of the ANWA.
AUGUSTA NATIONAL WOMEN'S AMATEUR LEADERBOARD
- (T1) -9 Kiara Romero
- (T1) -9 Lottie Woad
- (T3) -8 Carla Bernat Escuder
- (T3) -8 Andrea Revuelta
- (T3) -8 Megha Ganne
- (T6) -7 Asterisk Talley
- (T6) -7 Meja Ortengren
- (8) -5 Emma Kaisa Bunch
- (T9) -4 Jasmine Koo
- (T9) -4 Mackenzie Lee
- (T9) -4 Kary Hollenbaugh
- (T12) -3 Amanda Sambach
- (T12) -3 Paula Martin Sampedro
- (T12) -3 Catherine Park
- (T12) -3 Minseo Jung
- (T12) -3 Elise Lee
- (T17) -2 Farah O'Keefe
- (T17) -2 Gianna Clemente
- (T17) -2 Nora Sundberg
- (T17) -2 Louise Rydqvist
- (T17) -2 Carolina Lopez-Chacarra
- (T17) -2 Anna Davis
- (T17) -2Caroline Canales
- (T17) -2 Carolina Melgrati
- (T17) -2 Scarlett Schremmer
- (T17) -2 Eila Galitsky
- (T27) -1 Mamika Shinchi
- (T27) -1 Emma McMyler
- (T27) -1 Ko Kurabayashi
- (T27) -1 Kelly Xu
- (T27) -1 Achiraya Sriwong
- (T27) -1 Caitlyn Macnab
- All other players missed the cut
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