What a start to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. In the second match of the day, Mega Ghanne already made a splash. A round of 63 strokes and with the best score in the history of the event, she also becomes the first leader of the ANWA 2025. The morning conditions were perfect at Champions Retreat Golf Club, the course was very receptive, and the American took full advantage of it.
As for the Spanish players, what can we say? Immaculate start. All six players are among the top thirty in the tournament after the first 18 holes and would currently make the cut. Additionally, Carla Bernat (-4) and Paula Martín (-3) are among the top ten at the start, with four in the top 15. Practically unbeatable. There’s still a long way to go, but it’s a great start, anyone would have signed for it.
Let’s return to the main protagonist of the day. In the five previous editions, no one had played a round of less than 65 strokes. Until now, the record was held by Rose Zhang when she scored seven under (65) in the second round of 2023. Mega shattered it with a round of nine under par.
One birdie after another without a mistake. She started alongside Cata on the 10th hole. The Spanish player watched in awe at the display by the Stanford player, who after an initial par, pulled out the birdie card and added three in a row. She would close her first nine with another one on the 16th hole thanks to a great seven-meter putt.
The twelfth in the world ranking would start the second nine with another success before adding an eagle on the 3rd hole, which propelled her up the leaderboard. She hit one of her best irons of the day on the 6th tee, a par 3, with a shot that bounced just a meter before the flag, leaving her with an almost certain birdie. She closed her triumphant march with a great five-meter putt. Nine under par and into the clubhouse.
Ghanne, by the way, is facing her fifth participation in the tournament, a record shared with Emilia Migliaccio, Rachel Heck, and Carolina López Chacarra. Experience counts, and the 21-year-old player already finished last year among the top ten. Clearly, she’s here for more. The immaculate conditions seem to have been aided by the tree felling after the hurricane a few months ago, which facilitated the mission at Champions Retreat Golf Club. However, it was the same for everyone, and only she achieved it.
The best of all the Spanish players was Carla Bernat (-4). In fact, the player from Castellón de la Plana recorded the best round in the history of the tournament for one of our own. 68 strokes, four under par, surpassing the two rounds of 69 achieved by both Cata in the second round of 2023 and Carla herself last year. She is sixth after the first day.
The Spanish player delivered an immaculate card with four birdies without a mistake, almost making it five, but the putt of just under three meters slipped left on the last flag of the day.
68 strokes seal an exciting and unprecedented start. Carla shows her credentials to dream big in Augusta. Without making headlines, but quietly, the Valencian continues to demonstrate her worth. She was already the best Spanish player in 2024, finishing in 17th place, and this year she’s here for it all. Twelve months ago, a modest first round held her back from dreaming of more, and she’s put more than just a simple remedy in place.
One stroke behind and in tenth position is Paula Martín (-3), continuing to prove why she is one of the best players in the world. With Alejandro Larrazábal, her coach, acting as her caddie this week, she delivered an initial card of 69 strokes. Three under par, although there was a moment when Paula could have chased Mega’s record as she started with four birdies in the first six flags. Everything was going well for the Madrid player, but she couldn’t maintain the pace and added three bogeys and two more birdies in the remaining thirteen flags. She closes the first day in the top ten with her chances intact.
Carolina López Chacarra (-2) is a woman on a mission. It’s her fifth participation, a tied record, but the Madrid player has never made the cut at the ANWA, doesn’t know what a competition round at Augusta National is like, and is facing what is probably the last opportunity of her career.
This Wednesday, she took a great first step. A round of 70 strokes to place herself among the top fifteen at the start of the tournament and dream of making the cut and a great performance in Georgia. 16 pars and two birdies, precisely in the two finishes of each round, gave her that total of two under par. A solid performance without any mistakes along the way and with a great iron on her last flag of the day to add her second and final birdie.
Alongside Carol is Andrea Revuelta (-2). The Stanford player arrives at the tournament after a year of many changes. Her move across the pond and an injury that prevented her from competing as much as she would have liked. Well, Andrea played more than correctly in this tournament start and was on the verge of the top ten, but a mistake on the last flag of the day prevented it. The Madrid player went from more to less, as she was four under par at the 13th tee. She lost some momentum in the final sprint.
Cata Fernández (PAR), while witnessing Ghanne’s spectacle, completed a solid par round. Additionally, it so happened that she was Ghanne’s only partner in the match since Rianne Malixi had to withdraw due to discomfort that prevented her from playing.
Cata started with an exciting birdie on the 10th hole, her first flag of the day, but wouldn’t make another one. A bogey on the seventh hole brought her back to par, and from there, she strung together ten consecutive pars.
She is currently in the 30th position, which marks the tournament cut. She will need to maintain the pace if she wants to play at Augusta National for the third consecutive year and fly low in the second round to close the gap with the leader.
Tied with Cata is Rocio Tejedo (PAR). The Valencian player came with the lesson learned. A year ago, she had a tough start with a round of 77 strokes, and this time she managed to stay at PAR. Even so, the youngest of the Tejedo sisters was left with a bittersweet feeling as she reached the 11th hole three under par and among the top ten. However, a double bogey on that flag and another bogey on the penultimate hole caused her to drop positions. Nevertheless, the cut is within reach.
The World Number One and defending champion Lottie Woad (-7) didn’t want to be left behind and signed a great round of 65 strokes to respond to Mega Ghanne and prevent her from opening a larger gap. The English player wants to retain the crown and become the first player in history to win the ANWA twice. Despite Ghanne’s great round, her response to Mega, knowing the score the American had signed, keeps her as almost the main favourite for the title.
