Mehaffey dreams of Augusta glory
Olivia Mehaffey of Northern Ireland plays her stroke from the No. 3 tee during Round 2 of the Augusta National Women's Amateur, Thursday, April 1, 2021.
Olivia Mehaffey believes she can become the first Irish winner at the Cathedral of Pines after surging into contention for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur with a sensational second-round 69.
The Banbridge star (23) fired six birdies in a three-under effort at Champions Retreat to move to within two shots of the clubhouse leaders, world No 1 Rose Zhang (72) and Sweden’s Ingrid Lindblad (70), on level-par ahead of the final round tomorrow.
The Royal County Down Ladies and Arizona State University star was outside the top 30 who made the cut after struggling to a three-over 75 at Champions Retreat on Wednesday.
But after changing to a blade putter recently, she turned things around spectacularly yesterday by making five birdies and three bogeys in a rollercoaster first eight holes before picking off another birdie at the par-three 11th to share third place in the clubhouse as Forrest Little’s Julie McCarthy missed the cut on 11-over after a 77.
“I mean it’s Augusta National,” she said of the nerves that await in tomorrow’s final round. “We are on the stage right now that the whole world is watching and there is going to be more pressure than anybody’s ever felt.”
Mehaffey has a secret weapon on her bag in Augusta National caddie Brian McKinley, who helped Jennifer Kupcho see off Mexico’s Maria Fassi and win the inaugural event two years ago.
Julie McCarthy of Ireland watches her stroke from the No. 3 tee during Round 2 of the Augusta National Women's Amateur, Thursday, April 1, 2021.
And after contending for a professional title on the Symetra Tour last week, she believes she has the game to become the first Irish golfer to win at Augusta National, beating the likes of Rory McIlroy to the punch.
“That was the most nervous I have ever been and that experience will be really good, being in contention again,” she said. “I think experience this week is huge so I’m very grateful to have an Augusta National caddie in Brian.”
As for thoughts of winning in what could be one of her last big amateur events, she said: “It would be incredible of course there is a lot of golf to be played before then and anything can happen out there.
“But you see what Maria and Jennifer did two years ago, it was incredible. I think it really shook the golf world and I think that’s something we have the ability to do this week again and that would be very special to do.”
It was also a good day for Stephanie Meadow in the opening Major of the season, the ANA Inspiration at Mission Hills, where she fired a one-under 71 to share 20th in the clubhouse, five shots behind Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit, who shot a six-under 66 to lead by a shot from China’s Shanshan Feng.
On the PGA Tour, Jordan Spieth fired a warning salvo across the bows of his Masters rivals when he surged into the early lead in the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio.
The Texan struggled to find the centre of the clubface with his irons but still made seven birdies in a five-under 67 to lead by a shot from Scottie Scheffler and Tom Hoge, matching his season-low by taking just 23 putts.
Graeme McDowell needs to win this week to qualify for the Masters but the Portrush man hit only four fairways and made just one birdie in a two-over 74.
