Invitations have been accepted to compete in the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which will feature around 70 players starting in early spring.
Beginning the week prior to the 87th Masters Tournament, from March 29 to April 1, senior golfer Anna Morgan from Furman University will compete against several other female athletes for the winning title, including past champions Tsubasa Kajitani and Anna Davis.
As she prepares for the upcoming competition, Morgan said she is looking forward to the final round, and seeing how well she can play on the course.
“Last year, going into it, I was just really excited, but nervous and not really sure what to expect. I just really wanted to make the cut,” she said. “This year, I’m kind of going into it with a different mindset knowing that I was able to compete last year, and that I’m good enough … I’m just excited to play again, and create more awesome memories.”
With the college season keeping Morgan sharp on her skills and busy contending in various tournaments, she often keeps herself motivated by focusing on her game plan, and not allowing the “slumps” to distract her from the moments she plays extremely well.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating when you don’t play great or if things aren’t going your way, but I think the reward of playing really good golf, and hitting those great shots is kind of what keeps you coming back – just wanting to get better and play well all the time,” she said. “Wanting to be as close to perfect as possible, and being as successful as I can be.”
But before she was good enough to compete in the Nationals, Morgan first pursued being a pitcher for baseball when she was a young girl.
“My dad has been playing golf for a while, so that was part of it, but at the same time it was a little accidental,” she said. “When I reached the age where I had to switch to softball, I didn’t really want to do that. And I just so happened to pick up golf since my dad played, and pretty much ever since I’ve loved the game. Seems like I play every day.”
Loving the competitive and individualistic nature of the sport, as opposed to the team focus of baseball, Morgan said she has thrived in knowing that the outcome is solely based on her skill.
“With other sports, if something doesn’t go your way, you can say, ‘Oh, maybe it was an outside factor,” she said. “But with golf it all comes down to just you – how you play and your mindset.”
Over the years, golf has changed Morgan’s life through amazing travel opportunities to distant countries, and the chance to make lifelong friends.
“I’ve definitely gotten to go to places I would not have otherwise gone to because of golf; for example, playing on the Arnold Palmer Cup Team this past summer, I was able to go to Switzerland, which was my first time in Europe,” she said.
Meeting some of her best friends from the sport and growing up beside them playing the game, Morgan said she is grateful for the social introductions golf has encouraged.
“I’ve just been able to meet the coolest people through golf,” she said. “One of my closest friends is Jensen Castle, who I started playing with in U.S. Kids’ tournaments when I was maybe 10-years-old; we’ve just stayed such great friends since.”
Enjoying what she deems a “full circle moment” by competing with Jensen in this year’s Nationals, Morgan said she is proud to see how far both her and her best friend have advanced overtime from their younger years playing junior tournaments in South Carolina.
“It pushes each of us to play better as well,” she said.
Admitting that golf has made her more patient and competitive, Morgan said she believes the difficulty of the sport has also forced her to grow in terms of perseverance and hard work, because every player has hard moments they must work through.
With this year’s first and second rounds of the Women’s Amateur being broadcasted live on the Golf Channel for the first time, Morgan said she hopes young girls are inspired to see their own athletic potential to compete in future Masters’ tournaments, because she believes any girl can make it with the right amount of dedication and a positive attitude.
“Showing them that it’s possible, but also that they are just as capable as anyone else with hard work,” she said. “Those opportunities are there [for females], and more are continuing to rise.”
For more information, please visit ANWAgolf.com and follow the event’s official social media channels (@ANWAgolf) across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTubeand TikTok.
