U-M’s Monet Chun Takes 14th in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur
Monet Chun of Michigan was in 6th place going into the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, and after a weather-delayed Saturday in Georgia, she finished with a top 15 result.
She posted 13 pars at the famed Augusta National Golf Club to card a final-round 77 (+5) and tally a 219 54-hole total to tie for 14th place.
After tallies of 75 and 69 (-3) on Wednesday (March 29) and Thursday's (March 30) qualifying rounds at the Champions Retreat, Chun advanced with a 142 (-2) total. On Friday, all the competitors were able to play a practice round at Augusta National, but Chun was one of only 30 players (and ties) who advanced to the final round.
With severe thunderstorms threatening, Chun began the day rattling off three straight pars before the Augusta National greens fought back as she had a string of three bogeys to put her three-over on the turn. Right before heading out to the back-nine, play was suspended with thunderstorms in the area.
After the delay, Chun and the 31-golfer championship-round field headed back out to the course. After a bogey on the 10th hole, Chun headed to the renowned "Amen Corner" of holes 11, 12 and 13. Facing the challenge, Chun clipped off five straight pars to make it through unscathed. Just missing her par putt on the par-3 16th hole, she was five-over heading to her final two holes. Back-to-back closing pars helped her card her 77 and tie for 14th with a 219 total.
"It's a spectacular event," said Chun. "It's always tough to play among some of the top golfers in the world, however, I was able to put together a couple of good rounds this week. There is still plenty for me to do as a golfer, but getting the chance to play here and really challenge myself helped me learn what I can do to improve. This was such an amazing experience. I feel really lucky to have been able to participate."
Chun was one of three Big Ten golfers to advance to the final round. Illinois' Crystal Wang tied Chun for 14th (70-74-75/219) while Ohio State's Caley McGinty tied for 20th (75-70-75/220). After holding a five-shot lead heading into the final round, Stanford's Rose Zhang, the No. 1-ranked world amateur, held on after going to extra holes against Jenny Bae (Georgia) to claim the individual title on the second playoff hole.
In her last three major amateur events, Chun won the 2022 Canadian Women's Amateur, was the runner-up at the 2022 U.S. Women's Amateur and now earned a top-15 finish at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Chun also is the second Wolverine to advance to the ANWA's final round. Teammate Hailey Borja made the cut in 2022, tying for 12th with a 221 total (71-76-74).
