Jensen Castle Concludes Inspiring Week at the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Jensen Castle wrapped up a special week at the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur on Saturday, turning in a 5-over-par 77 in the final round at Augusta National Golf Club. The University of Kentucky women’s golfer assembled a 7-over-par 223 tournament total, earning a share of 26th place on the biggest stage in amateur golf.
Thousands of patrons flooded through the gates of Augusta National this morning, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the top amateurs in the world. The international field began with 72 players, before the top 30 players and ties made the cut after 36 holes at Champions Retreat Golf Club. Including Castle, 31 players fell inside the cut line at 2-over, earning a final round at Augusta National on Saturday.
Castle put together rounds of 70, 76 and 77 at the fourth-annual event, playing on a pair of the most challenging golf courses in the nation. Dozens of community members, family members, friends and teammates wore their Blue and White in support of Castle throughout the tournament.
Jensen concludes her time at #ANWAgolf, going +5 in the final round and +7 on the tournament.
She finished in a tie for 26th place among 72 of the best amateurs in the world.#BBN is proud of you! 😤👌 pic.twitter.com/3ooctxFHP9
— Kentucky Women’s Golf (@KentuckyWGolf) April 1, 2023
While cool temperatures, wind and fog were all factors during the first and second rounds at Champions Retreat, the elements didn’t become disruptive until this morning. The committee suspended the final round from 10:30 a.m. ET to 1:50 p.m. ET because of inclement weather, while all patrons were asked to exit the grounds.
Castle was 3-over on the round before play was postponed. She combined for a trio of bogeys and five pars during that stretch.
Starting on the 10th tee, she got on the green in three shots, but left her par putt short to record her first blemish of the final round. However, she responded with a convincing five straight pars on hole Nos. 11-15, including all three holes of the iconic Amen Corner.
Jensen pars all three holes of the iconic Amen Corner. 😮💨🌸😼#ANWAgolf pic.twitter.com/caqpV8ig5t
— Kentucky Women’s Golf (@KentuckyWGolf) April 1, 2023
The wind began to pick up as the morning went along, making it extra challenging to create birdie opportunities.
On the par-3 No. 16, she put her first shot within about eight feet of the pin for what would have been phenomenal position until it leisurely rolled off the left side of the green and into a bunker. She put her second shot about five feet from the pin, but she put a little too much power on her putt, causing it to lip out for her second bogey of the day. On the next hole, her second shot landed in a bunker that was just short of the green. She was hoping for a better downhill roll in her chip out of the bunker, but it left her with about a 20-footer that she two-putted for her third bogey of the day.
The Wildcat never teed off on hole No. 18 before the final round was suspended because of inclement weather. Play resumed at 1:50 p.m. ET, while it was still overcast with a cool breeze and sporadic sprinkling.
Following the pause, Castle recorded her third straight bogey on the par-4 No. 18. The senior then went par-birdie-par on hole Nos. 1-3, marking her lone birdie of the final round on the 500-yard, par-5 No. 2. She then suffered a bogey-par-bogey stretch over her next three holes on Nos. 4-6.
The West Columbia, South Carolina, native recovered in her final three holes at Augusta National, logging three straight pars. That included paring the long par-5 No. 8, after a miss hit off the tee box.
Stanford sophomore Rose Zhang won the 2023 ANWA on a two-hole playoff, tapping in the winning putt on No. 10. She recorded a 4-over in the final round and a 9-under tournament total.
Castle and her teammates will move on to compete at the 2023 Southeastern Conference Championship at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Hoover, Alabama, beginning April 12.
For the latest on the Kentucky women’s golf team, follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, as well as on the web at UKathletics.com.
