Michigan golfer Monet Chun's magical year now taking her to Augusta
Tony PaulThey say golf is a good walk spoiled. Monet Chun would respectfully disagree.
It's been a magical year for Chun, a Michigan standout, and the wild ride will continue this spring, when she tees it up at storied Augusta National Golf Club. Chun has officially accepted an invitation to compete in the Augusta National Women's Amateur, set for March 29 through April 1.
The 70-player field, featuring the top women amateur golfers from across the globe, was unveiled 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 runner-up at the U.S. Amateur. In 2022, she was Big Ten freshman of the year.
The Augusta Women's Amateur debuted in 2019 to much fanfare, considering the storied club didn't allow female members until this century. Jennifer Kupcho, current LPGA star who won both of Michigan's LPGA stops last year, won the inaugural event. It was canceled by COVID-19 in 2020, and returned in 2021.
The tournament is a fine showcase leading into the week of the Masters.
The first two rounds are March 29-30 at Champions Retreat Golf Club, with the top 30 players and ties through the first two rounds advancing to the final day at Augusta National on April 1. Even the players that don't advance to the final round get to play Augusta National, though, with a practice round set for March 31.
Michigan's Hailey Borja finished tied for 12th in the 2022 tournament, at 5 over, 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 national Drive, Chip and Putt finals, an acclaimed youth skills competition, also at Augusta. There are two local qualifiers who will compete: 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 season's first major championship, then is set for April 6-9.
tpaul@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @tonypaul1984