AUGUSTA, GEORGIA | For her 15th birthday last week, Gianna Clemente’s mother surprised her with the most awesome present a teenage girl could dream about — Taylor Swift tickets for her upcoming show in Tampa, Florida. There aren’t many things more precious to a “Swiftie.” Clemente, however, could think of one thing better — a starting time at Augusta National Golf Club. “Not even close,” the youngest competitor to ever make the 36-hole cut in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur said when asked which opportunity she’s more excited about.
When Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley abruptly created the ANWA in 2019, he opened the gates to the world’s most famous exclusive club to aspirations of an entire gender of dreamers. The ANWA immediately vaulted to a level of esteem on par with the top amateur events in the world. And the biggest perk is getting to play the home course of the Masters Tournament on the eve of the year’s first major championship. Not everyone qualifies to compete in the final round at Augusta National on Saturday....
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