16 players to watch at the 2026 Augusta National Women\u2019s Amateur<\/a><\/p>\nGiven the already record number of Aussies currently playing on the LPGA Tour, the addition of both Bennett and Hinson-Tolchard [above] takes the total number of Australians in the field to 10.<\/p>\n
Both Bennett and Hinson-Tolchard played in the Aramco Houston Championship in Texas last September as a stand-alone LET event and the LPGA Tour co-sanctioned Scottish Women\u2019s Open at Dundonald Links. Hinson-Tolchard also played the 2023 US Women\u2019s Open at Pebble Beach prior to turning professional.<\/p>\n
This will have a decidedly LPGA feel, however, as the likes of Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, Hyo Joo Kim and Charley Hull also tee it up at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
For two players with eyes on joining the Aussie invasion in the US on a permanent basis, it is an ideal opportunity to see how their games stack up.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way I\u2019ve played over the last couple of weeks, I think anything inside the top 20 is going to be a great result,\u201d said Hinson-Tolchard, who was tied 29th at the Australian Open and tied for ninth at the Australian WPGA Championship.<\/p>\n
![\"alt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maddison)
<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously going up against a whole heap of LPGA players, it\u2019s going to be a very different tournament and a higher calibre than what we\u2019re used to, but we\u2019re still playing against some of the same girls that we always play against.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to try and not put too much pressure on yourself and just go in and enjoy the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re playing at Shadow Creek, which is supposedly one of the hardest golf courses in the world. So I mean, anything can happen. If the course suits me, I could have a great week.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just have to enjoy the experience. I haven\u2019t been back to the US in a while, so I get to actually see a few college teammates while I\u2019m there and just have a bit of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Aussie infusion is also elevated at this week\u2019s International Series Japan event on the Asian Tour.<\/p>\n
The inaugural event last year was won by Lucas Herbert, fellow Victorian Cameron John among 13 Aussies fresh off his third win of the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia season at The National.<\/p>\n
John is joined in Japan by four other winners this past season, Travis Smyth (ISPS Handa Japan-Australasia Championship), Chris Wood (Ford NSW Open), Cory Crawford (PNG Open) and Will Florimo (Heritage Classic).<\/p>\n
Round 1 tee-times (AEDT)<\/p>\n
LPGA Tour
Aramco Championship
Shadow Creek, Las Vegas, Nevada
1:22am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Robyn Choi
1:33am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Karis Davidson
1:55am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gabriela Ruffels
1:55am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kelsey Bennett
2:17am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Hannah Green, Lydia Ko (NZ)
5:45am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stephanie Kyriacou
5:45am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Grace Kim
6:18am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cassie Porter
6:51am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Minjee Lee
7:13am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Amelia Garvey (NZ)<\/p>\n
Recent champion: Inaugural event
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US4m
TV times: Live 10am-1pm Friday, Saturday; Live 7am-11am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports and Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n
Asian Tour
International Series Japan
Caledonian Golf Club, Japan
8:25am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Maverick Antcliff
8:40am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nick Voke (NZ)
8:45am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Justin Warren
9:05am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jack Thompson
9:30am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Kevin Yuan
9:35am\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cory Crawford
1:10pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Harrison Crowe
1:15pm*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Scott Hend
1:20pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Wade Ormsby
1:40pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Travis Smyth
1:45pm*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jed Morgan
2:05pm*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Denzel Ieremia (NZ)
2:10pm\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Cameron John
2:25pm*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chris Wood
2:35pm*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Will Florimo<\/p>\n
Recent champion: Lucas Herbert
Past Aussie winners: Lucas Herbert (2025)
Prizemoney: $US2m
TV times: Live 3pm-7pm Thursday, Friday; Live from 2pm Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n
PGA Tour
Valero Texas Open
TPC San Antonio (Oaks Course), San Antonio, Texas
4:30am*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Karl Vilips<\/p>\n
Recent champion: Brian Harman
Past Aussie winners: Joe Kirkwood (1924), Bruce Crampton (1964), Adam Scott (2010), Steven Bowditch (2014)
Prizemoney: $US9.8m
TV times: Live 11pm-10am Thursday, Friday; Live 12am-8am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo Sports.<\/p>\n
Korn Ferry Tour
LECOM Suncoast Classic
Lakewood National Golf Club (Commander Cse), Lakewood Ranch, Florida
10:53pm*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rhein Gibson<\/p>\n
Recent champion: Neal Shipley
Past Aussie winners: Nil
Prizemoney: $US1m<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[Photo: Tristan Jones\/LET] Rising Aussie duo Kelsey Bennett and Maddison Hinson-Tolchard will share a career first this week…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":579289,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[566],"tags":[155025,64,63,755,258338,58251,284053,284054,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-579288","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-golf","8":"tag-aramco-championship","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-golf","12":"tag-kelsey-bennett","13":"tag-lpga","14":"tag-maddison-hinson-tolchard","15":"tag-shadow-creek-golf-club","16":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=579288"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/579288\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/579289"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=579288"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=579288"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=579288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}