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WA golfer Kirsten Rudgeley to play at Augusta National Women’s Amateur

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Ben SmithThe West Australian
Kirsten Rudgeley is Australia's number one amateur golfer.
Camera IconKirsten Rudgeley is Australia's number one amateur golfer. Credit: Nic Ellis/The West Australian

Rising amateur golfer Kirsten Rudgeley is set to become the first West Australian woman to tee off in a tournament at the fabled Augusta National Golf Club.

Rudgeley will become just the third Australian woman to grace the greens at Augusta after accepting an invitation to play in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur event in two months’ time.

The Mount Lawley golfer is Australia’s number one female amateur golfer and has risen in the world rankings from 58 to 41 since November.

Rudgeley, who will follow in the footsteps of Julienne Soo and Grace Kim as Australian women to have competed at Augusta, said she was excited to play at one of the United States’ most famous golf courses.

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“It felt amazing, I had an idea a couple of months ago that I was going to make it, but it all depends on your world ranking,” she said.

Kirsten Rudgeley, who has been named Australia’s number one amateur golfer.
Camera IconKirsten Rudgeley is set to become the first ever WA woman to compete at Augusta National Golf Club. Credit: Nic Ellis/The West Australian
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“I did pretty well in the tournaments towards the end of last year, which bumped me up, so as soon as I got the phone call from the director of the event, he told me the news and I was over the moon.”

Despite its world-class reputation as the host of The Masters, Augusta was previously an exclusively male-only club, and it was not until 2019 they began hosting a women’s competition for amateur golfers.

While Rudgeley admitted Augusta was never an event she dreamed of playing growing up, she was thrilled to be one of the first Australian female golfers to compete there.

“Women were never really allowed to play on the golf course, so it didn’t really have much interest to me, as it was just always about the boys,” she said.

Kirsten Rudgeley, who has been named Australia's number one amateur golfer.
Camera IconKirsten Rudgeley is currently teeing off in Victoria, before she will head to the US to play Augusta. Credit: Nic Ellis/The West Australian

“There’s only 50 playing (this year), so it’s a pretty big event and I’m looking forward to it.

“Being there as well will be an unbelievable experience, and we get to stay and watch the guys the next week, so it will be awesome.”

The winner of the tournament, provided she remains an amateur, will receive an invite to the 2022 US Women’s Open and the 2022 Women’s British Open.

Rudgeley is currently in Victoria, having clinched the Avondale Amateur last week and finished fifth at the Melbourne International and she will contest the upcoming Victorian Open.

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