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Jenny Bae in top three at Augusta National Women's Amateur entering final round

Palmber-Thombsby:Palmer Thombs•03/31/23•

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Jenny Bae
EVANS, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Jenny Bae of The United States plays her third shot on the 16th hole during the first round of the 2022 Augusta National Women's Amateur at Champions Retreat Golf Club on March 30, 2022 in Evans, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Georgia golfer Jenny Bae is in sole possession of third place at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur headed into the weekend. Bae, a fifth-year senior out of Collins Hill High School (Suwanee, Ga.) is at 7-under-par and trails the top ranked amateur in the world Rose Zhang of Stanford by six while being just one shot behind Ole Miss’ Andrea Lignell. There is a 5-shot gap between Bae and the rest of the field.

“It means a lot,” Bae said. “I’m really proud of myself. I don’t really say that about myself, and I feel I should start to. I’m going to just try on every hole and see what happens.”

After shooting a 3-under, 69 in the first round on Wednesday with seven birdies but also four bogeys, Bae was a little more consistent on Thursday. She made five birdies and just one bogey on her way to a 4-under, 68, playing the first 13 holes a bogey-free 4-under.

“Today was the same thing as yesterday – really solid,” Bae said. “I have to admit there were a few ups and downs, but thank God I had my caddy, who is also my coach. He (Georgia head coach Josh Brewer) guided me through each shot and was saying ‘You’ve just got to trust it. You’ve had good feel the entire week so you’ll be good.’”

Bae played in the ANWA last year and missed the cut shooting 9-over, 153 in the first two rounds. However, her performance at the collegiate level has been outstanding throughout her entire career.

Bae was named to the SEC All-Freshman team in 2019, won the 2020 Georgia State Golf Association Match Play Championship, led the Lady Bulldogs in stroke average in 2020-21 (72.94) as well as top-20s (seven), birdies (98) and par-or-better rounds (13) on her way to being named Second-Team All-SEC and an All-American honorable mention before winning both the Georgia Women’s Amateur Championship by five strokes and the Georgia Women’s Open by two that summer.

Last season Bae was once again named an All-American honorable mention while leading the team in stroke average (72.59) as she finished as the team’s top individual at four tournaments including the NCAA Regional and NCAA Championship. Her start in the fall to 2022-23 has been even more outstanding though, compiling a 68.83 average in four tournaments including an individual win at the Illini Invitational with a Georgia tournament recorder shattering 16-under, 200 at history Medinah Country Club. That helped the Bulldogs to a school-record tournament team tally of 20-under. Bae, who also fired a career-best 6-under, 65 during the second round of the Cougar Classic, notched top-10 finishes at all four events and is on pace to break the current program record stroke average of 71.04. She has seven top-5 finishes in her last nine tournaments entering the ANWA.

“Because of last year, I came in with no expectations,” Bae said. “I told myself ‘Try your best. You’ve played really well all year.’ When I give myself more self pressure, it never goes well.”

The first two rounds of the invitational were played at Champions Retreat Golf Club in Evans, Ga. – just outside of Augusta – while the final round on Saturday will be played at Augusta National Golf Club. The top 30 players and ties qualified for the final round, but all 70 women in the field will get to play a practice round at the home of The Masters on Friday. Coverage of the final round on Saturday can be found on NBC starting at 12:00 p.m. ET.

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