AUGUSTA, Ga. – The scene on the first tee Saturday morning at Augusta National was reminiscent of a Masters Thursday. Patrons packed around the ropes, 10-deep in some places. Those who didn’t get there early lined up down the fairway, leaning over the ropes to get a view. Green jackets, including those of Augusta National chairman Fred Ridley, past chairman Billy Payne and even two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, were plentiful on the tee box.
The only difference? Everyone wasn’t there to watch Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player hit the honorary tee balls. Instead, it was a foursome of LPGA legends – Se Ri Pak, Lorena Ochoa, Nancy Lopez and Annika Sorenstam, a group that has 20 majors combined – kicking off the final-round festivities at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.