By Fred Altvater
The Augusta National Women’s Amateur will inspire young girls to play golf.
The ANA Inspiration is the first major championship held on any professional tour every year and represents the very best in the women’s game. That same week, the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur was also contested at Champion’s Retreat, with the final round contested on Augusta National Golf Club.
Young girls, who may aspire to become future golfers, watch the winner of the ANA Inspiration jump into Poppy’s Pond and accept the trophy wearing a white robe. They dream of making that 
symbolic leap to big time golf.
In 1998, Se Ri Pak inspired a whole generation of Korean and Asian women golfers when she won both the Women’s LPGA Championship and the U.S. Women’s Open. These young women now dominate the LPGA Tour, as well as, women’s golf around the globe.
Last month millions of young girls watched the final round of the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur held at that iconic course and won by Jennifer Kupcho.
Women’s amateur golf is not normally played in front of large crowds and television cameras. Paige Mackenzie, women’s golf analyst for the Golf Channel, spoke about the importance of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur,
“With network coverage of the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, the curtain has been raised on women’s golf.”
What young girl was inspired to pick up a golf club and head to the range to work on her game will not be known for another 10-15 years, but this was a watershed event in women’s golf. It will inspire the next generation of women golfers and future golf champions.
The final pairing on Saturday of Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi demonstrated the absolute best of women’s amateur golf. Fassi went out fast firing a three-under par 33 on the front nine. Kupcho struggled with a migraine, which affected her vision, but battled to stay close.
Jennifer Kupcho of the United States and Maria Fassi of Mexico walk over the Hogan Bridge on the No. 12 green during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, Saturday, April 6, 2019.
The pain eased for Kupcho at No. 11. When Fassi failed to birdie the 13th, Kupcho drained the only eagle of the day to draw even with her friend and competitor.
Kupcho then finished five-under par over the final six holes adding birdies at 15, 16 and 18 to win the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur title in a decisive fashion.
Fred Ridley and the members of the Augusta National Golf Club must be congratulated for initiating this historic women’s golf tournament.
Detractors will say that the smug old boys club at Augusta National competed for media coverage and demeaned the LPGA’s ANA Inspiration. They will also point out that only one round of the 54-hole amateur tournament was actually played at the iconic course.
One round, however, was all it took to bring 30 of the best women amateurs from around the globe into millions of homes for young girls to see and be inspired to swing a golf club.
This one 18-hole round with two friends, Maria Fassi and Jennifer Kupcho, battling and creating memorable golf, on one of the most recognizable courses in the world, will go down in history as one of the most significant golf events of all time.
