Women’s Golf: Sambach reaches final round at Augusta National Amateur

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia sophomore golfer Amanda Sambach advanced to the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur following Thursday’s 36-hole cut. Sambach tied for 21st place in the field of 72 golfers at 1-over 145 while playing at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. The top 30 players (plus ties) advanced through to the final round.

UVA junior Jennifer Cleary (Wilmington, Del.) missed the cut by two shots, finishing her two rounds at 4-over 148. She finished tied for 37th after posting a second-round score of 1-under 71.

Heading into the final round, Stanford’s Rose Zhang leads the field by five strokes at 13-under 131.

Sambach (Pinehurst, N.C.), who started her round on the 10th hole, made the turn at even par after two birdies and two bogeys on her first nine holes. She went bogey-birdie on holes one and two, respectively, and then posted a birdie on the fifth hole to finish her round at 1-under 71.

It marks the third year Sambach has competed at the event and the first time she has advanced to the final round. Last year, she was in a four-player playoff for the final spot in the final round of the event, but was eliminated on the fourth playoff hole.

Both Sambach, Cleary and the entire 72-player field will play a practice round Friday at Augusta National.

NBC Sports will air three hours of coverage of Saturday’s final round (noon to 3 p.m. ET).

More information, including live scoring, is available www.ANWAgolf.com.