OAKVILLE, On. – Three Canadians have been invited to compete alongside most of the world’s prime aspiring golfers on the seventh annual Augusta Nationwide Girls’s Novice (ANWA) in Augusta, Ga. from April 1-4.
Vanessa Borovilos of Etobicoke, Ont., Aphrodite Deng of Calgary, Alta. and Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C. will characterize Canada within the area and in doing so will set a report for the variety of Canadians competing in a single yr at ANWA.
Deng, 15, is at present ranked No. 13 on the World Novice Golf Rating (WAGR) and is Canada’s lowest ranked beginner golfer. Final season, Deng gained the 76th U.S. Ladies’ Junior Championship, changing into the primary Canadian to win the title in event historical past and earned exemptions into ANWA and the 2026 U.S. Girls’s Open. She added two further junior titles final season together with the 2025 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the 2025 Mizuho Americas Open and was named junior participant of the yr by the American Junior Golf Affiliation. Deng additionally earned the Marlene Stewart Streit Medal, ending because the Low Novice on the 2025 CPKC Girls’s Open, ending T20 at 4-under.
“I’m honoured and excited to be invited to play within the 2026 Augusta Nationwide Girls’s Novice. Will probably be my first look on the occasion, and I’m wanting ahead to competing with one of the best beginner gamers on this planet at such a historic location in April,” stated Deng.
Kim, 20, is at present ranked No. 18 on WAGR and will probably be competing in her third consecutive ANWA, essentially the most appearances by a Canadian. Kim completed T14 in her debut in 2024, tying Monet Chun for one of the best end result by a Canadian on the occasion. Kim is at present in her Junior yr on the College of Texas and has earned two collegiate titles so far. The primary in her freshman yr on the Jackson T Stephens Cup and final yr on the Betsy Rawls Invitational. Final season, Kim added eight prime 10 finishes and represented Canada on the 2025 World Novice Workforce Championships. She additionally competed in her third consecutive CPKC Girls’s Open final August.
“Receiving an invite to play for the third time on the Augusta Nationwide Girls’s Novice is absolutely an honour and I believe that as my beginner profession is coming to an in depth and I’m graduating in a yr, I’m simply much more honoured to have the ability to go play at Augusta, particularly realizing that once I flip skilled, I gained’t get this chance ever once more.”
It’s such a particular occasion, it’s magical and being in Augusta and being on the grounds and enjoying such a prestigious golf course is absolutely enjoyable and these recollections that you just make at occasions like this final without end. I’m actually wanting ahead to this occasion, April couldn’t come sooner and I’m excited to be there with two different Canadians within the area,” stated Kim.
Borovilos, 19, is at present ranked No. 31 on WAGR and will probably be competing in her first ANWA, nonetheless it won’t be her first journey to Augusta Nationwide. Borovilos will probably be making her fifth look having competed in 4 Drive, Chip and Putt Championships, and gained the 2018 championship within the Ladies 10-11 age division. Borovilos is at present in her sophomore yr at Texas A&M College. Final season, she earned her first collegiate title on the Chevron Collegiate in February 2025 and added three runner-up finishes throughout her freshman yr. Borovilos additionally certified for the U.S. Girls’s Open, her first time competing within the main championship. This season, Borovilos has earned a T2 end on the Carmel Cup and T16 on the Folds of Honor Collegiate. She additionally competed in her third consecutive CPKC Girls’s Open final August.
“Not many issues can beat the sensation you get when driving down Magnolia Lane. It’s going to be a enjoyable three months gearing up for April. I can’t wait to expertise Augusta within the prime situation all of us see on tv,” stated Borovilos.
The ANWA contains a area of 72 amateurs competing over 54 holes of stroke play with a lower following 36 holes. The opening rounds will probably be contested at Champions Retreat Golf Membership in Augusta, Ga. on Wednesday, April 1 and Thursday, April 2. The highest 30 gamers and ties will advance to the ultimate spherical at Augusta Nationwide on Saturday, April 4. All the area will play a observe spherical there someday prior on Friday.
The primary two rounds of the ANWA will probably be broadcast dwell on the Golf Channel from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET. NBC will air the ultimate spherical on April 4 from Midday – 3:00 p.m. ET.
For extra data on the ANWA together with previous outcomes, click on right here.
