The prospect of playing on golf’s hallowed ground can make people do unusual things.
In January, Northwestern’s Stephanie Lau awaited her invitation to the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She believed she had qualified based on her national ranking, but almost everything related to the Masters is tinged with secrecy.
After Lau noticed social-media posts with competitors’ jubilant reactions to receiving an invitation to the April 3-6 event, she thought: Oh, no, where’s mine?
So she emailed an Augusta National official, who assured her the letter was en route.
Lau then went next-level, asking her mother, Marie, to check their local post office in Fullerton, Calif.
And then, as if she needed a final bit of proof, Lau had her mom call via FaceTime so she could see the invitation for herself.
“Cool seeing my name on it,” Lau said.
But probably not as cool as playing America’s premier tournament golf course, the ultra-private enclave where Tiger Woods has roared, Phil Mickelson has leaped and Rory McIlroy has sunk.
Augusta National only began welcoming female members in 2012, so when club Chairman Fred Ridley announced the creation of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last spring, it was hailed as a groundbreaking event.
“Golf’s a great game,” said Ridley, who has three daughters. “Hopefully it’s colorblind (and) blind as to gender.”
Lau, a Northwestern senior, qualified after winning the prestigious North & South Women’s Amateur and finishing runner-up in the British Women’s Amateur.
Her parents got her started in golf at age 6 as a fun after-school activity. Her game took off in high school, and last season she made second-team All-Big Ten.
“I couldn’t think of a better person to represent Northwestern,” said Chad Hanaoka, Lau’s boyfriend.
NU football fans know his story. The 5-foot-6 Hanaoka rose from an intern in the football video office to walk-on running back to gaining key yards in wins over Iowa and Illinois. He has to study for medical school exams in April but plans to hit refresh constantly to keep tabs on Lau’s scoring.
Lau will have family members and her first golf coach, Tim Mitchell, following her.
During her practice round, she plans to go to the spot well right of the 10th fairway where Bubba Watson hooked a gap wedge onto the green to win a Masters playoff in 2012.
“I think he moved the ball 90 degrees,” she marveled. “It was amazing and, given the timing of it, unreal.”
What to know about the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur
The field: 72 of the world’s best amateurs, including Northwestern’s Stephanie Lau, Illinois’ Tristyn Nowlin and 14-year-old Alexa Pano of Lake Worth, Fla.
When and where: April 3-6. The first two rounds will take place at Champions Retreat in Evans, Ga. Augusta National will be open to all competitors for a practice round April 5. The top 30 will make the cut and tee it up April 6 at Augusta National from the members tees (6,365 yards). The Masters begins the following week.
TV: NBC will broadcast three hours of live, final-round coverage.
tgreenstein@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein
